Well how’s everyone doing? So this week was a good week and full of ups and downs. One of the up´s is that we had a baptism!!!!! Yeah but it was only 1 baptism. Like I said last week that we had 6 ppl ready and well turns out that 4 of them went on a trip to their grandma’s house, so they weren’t baptized. Then with the other two we got them interviewed for baptism and they passed. So we were still very happy until Sunday came along and one of the investigators didn’t come to church so she wasn’t baptiesed. But the Good thing is we still got a baptism out of all the un-expected stuff his name is Antonio. He’s a supper cool guy. Very simple and always happy. He doesn’t know how to read or write but he sure knows how to talk to God (pray) so with that he prayed and felt so good that he wanted to jump in the water. But it was a very good baptism. It was very cool to see this person be baptized because I realized that you really don’t have to know how to read or write to know the truth. (For most, you would. but for this man a prayer was all he needed.)
But this week I also did a division with Elder Algren and that was really cool. While there I did a few interviews for baptism and we just had a good time teaching and preaching to EVERYONE, it was awesome and we had too much fun. He’s totally going to come down from Montana and visit us after the mission. But the District is doing well. Were baptizing so that’s successful also I finished the BOM in English on Tuesday for the 2nd time in English and for the 4th time in total in the mission. I will read it for the 3rd time in port. before I come home. Also I’m starting the Doctrine and Convents too.
But it sounds like you guys had a huge wind storm... crazy that the wind took out Thors roof. I sure Thor freaked out in his house. lol But I hope Bill S. gets better. Sounds like a bad fall on the ice and that stuff. Wish him well for me. Also have fun on the basketball trip! Be safe and drive safe. Taylor T, said he talked to you guys which is cool he sounds like he’s doing good and getting some dates in. :) (I know he´ll read this so THATA BOY Taylor!) Also Bill is going to be coming home soon too. Crazy!
But I love you all say hi to everyone let them know I’m doing well. I hope your all doing well and being safe. I better get home and take a shower. Our 3 hours of basketball got me tired!! ha-ha But Fica Firme mina família,
Com muito Amor, -Josh

What’s up everyone? Well it’s been a very busy week for us but really good. I’m supper glad to hear that Jake baptized a person also. That’s really cool that we baptized on the same day. Anyway this week is turning out to be amazing. We have 6 people lined up to be baptized on Sunday or before Sunday and so were running around like crazy getting them taught and ready for the baptism. I have a lot of faith that the lord is going to help these people out and everything is going to happen so they will be baptized. So it’s been hot but pretty crazy. Sunday was supper busy for us because the ward took all of the young kids and adults out on a camping trip to get them away from ``Carnival`´ (a really bad national holiday) So at church there was no help and we had to do everything, prepare the sacrament, pass the sacrament and I was also given 30 min to prepare a talk and I gave a 15 min talk too because the person didn’t show up. I was also going to teach a Sunday school class but I asked someone to help me. It was a busy busy day but it’s all going good here. We played some b-ball but I was supper tired and I’m getting sick I think so I took a lot of meds today.
Anyway so someone ran into the cop car that would be embarrassing. Ha-ha but did she leave with a ticket? so how was the conference with Elder Russell M Nelson? What did he talk about? Anyway I also want to know also dad what did you put those bugs in to make them glass round things? was it fiberglass resin? but also I’ll look for the package but it will take a while. I too will send home a package because it’s all ready and tapped up. Bad thing is that is like a weeklong Holliday for the next few days so I’ll send it when I can.
But I’m short on time today and am tired.. I don’t have my camera because I left it at the house so next week I’ll send pics. But thanks for everything and for your prayers. I love you guys and hope all is well. Be safe and if you need anything just tell me. But I have an awesome family!!!!! Thanks.

Hey well this week we had a BAPTISM!!! so the week has been really good. I must say that we have actually had a really good week overall so this is what’s been going down. On Thurs. we ended up going to Curitiba once again to another meeting from my new comp and man it’s not too fun sitting on a bus for most of the day or waking up at 5 am then getting home late. Anyway we were really blessed though. I’m not sure if I told you last week but on last Sunday we had an investigator go to church whose name is Mateus. He was invited by one of his neighbors to go and while there he loved the church. So this whole last week we passed by his house to teach him and comes to find out that he is one of our heavenly fathers elects. Mateus is supper smart and everything was going good. Last Monday we marked a date with him then he asked his mom and she said he could be baptized. Well Tuesday we passed bye and he said everything was good and he was ready. Wednesday went over and the mom said to wait a few months. After talking to her and finding out she was a member, she accepted and was going to let him be baptized. Thursday we went there to find out that he wasn’t sure if it was what he wanted so that night we prayed so much. Friday we marked an hour for our LZ to pass bye and do an interview and he passed and choose a member to baptize him. We were supper happy. Then after talking to the bishop this member wasn’t worthy and told the boy to wait 4 weeks and then he would baptize him. So after trying to get him to pick someone else he finally was like then I only want you Elder Hope. So then I was like alright because you have to be baptized. I even tried him to pick my comp but he wouldn’t. I really wanted my comp to get his feet wet for his first baptism, but Mateus wouldn’t move. Anyway on Sunday Mateus was baptized and it was really good he was supper happy and so was my comp. My comp said that now he can go home because he made his goal. Ha-ha but this week will also be good because we have another man ready to be baptized so we pray a ton right now. Anyway the week was good, long but good. Transfers are tonight but I’ll stay here for sure to finish training my comp for 6 more weeks.
But I’m doing really well. I can’t believe there is no snow, but still ice fishing!! crazy. Means one thing though there are going to be some BIG BUCKS this year!!! I’m so excited! Anyway that’s all I have for the week. Be safe and do what’s right. Until next week, Love, -Josh

Well Its HOT here! FYI it’s like 85 to 90 degrees here and I’m cooking like a steak. I’m also afraid that my farmers tan is now a permanent mark and it will never go away. I guess it’s always going to remind me of my mission. haha So with that it’s been a busy week. I’m sleeping with a fan right on me at night but still sweat a lot it really doesn’t cool down here at nights. But the work has been going really well here. This week we had a good turn out with investigators going to church and one is really ready to be baptized. So if his mom let’s him, he will be baptized. So were praying a lot for that. We also found like 5 people who are really good investigators who have a lot of potential so things are getting really good. But another event that is happening with our house is that we went from Fleas to the invasion of lizards.. Yeah pretty sure a mama lizard gave birth to about 20 little lizards and now they run across our walls like crazy un-controlled wild things when we come home at night and flip on the lights. It’s good because they eat the spiders and everything which is good but something that still makes one scratch his head wondering if it’s something healthy. Until now we like the little guys because there kind of cute.
Anyway sounds like things are ok back home other than grandmas aunt who passed away and Jim getting sick. But I’m glad that’s all passed by and things are good. It’s really cool you guys went to Hamer to see the baby blessing. I actually think it’s such an interesting and special thing. So I’m sure it was awesome to be there in support
But Mom I too also want the Family history info for me so send me that. Dad that’s sick you went ice fishing. I hope you took pictures but sounds like it was a good trip. I too remember when Colin took my ice hole away up at Jackson Lake just so he could get a fish. Seems like his lucky fish finder is no match for the hope’s talent. If I was Colin I would probably just give up the whole fishing idea and give his rods to someone who could use them..... I think I could find a use for them. (Yeah make sure he sees this letter.. I want a response to this trash talk) lol it’s all a joke though. Anyway I’m out of time but I sure love you guys. Be safe and keep fishing. Com Amor, -Josh

So what a dang cool week!!! Man ill just jump into the good part about the week. Friday was probably one of the coolest mission conferences so far in my mission. Like I said Elder Ballard and Elder Anderson came to talk to us. Elder Anderson gave a supper good talk in Portuguese mixed with a little with Spanish. But it was really cool because he taught in such a simple way and yet the sprit was supper strong. He talked a lot about the atonement of Christ and how we need to help others understand it. He then talked a little about the Plan of Salvation with a supper strong testimony about the ppl who die and how they sure do live and live so close to us. Kind of brought it to real for me. Elder Ballard Talked for a long time to use. He talked about how we should always do what Christ would do or say. He taught us the importance of the young men in the mission and how important young men have been in the scriptures. From David and Goliath, to Joseph Smith and the missionaries of the church. He explained the trust the lord has in us and in us helping others. He explained that the lord ALWAYS turns to young men to bring great things to pass. Elder Ballard was also very funny and told some funny stories. To me I realized that they truly are men of God who are such good examples. They really are ppl like us with lives. That’s one thing that most elders were saying after they left. But it was so cool to see them sit next to their wives and see the happiness in their lives. Anyway it was a supper good day on Friday and I have a ton of notes and I wish I could share everything with you guys but I just can’t.
This Sunday we also saw a huge difference in the ward. Everyone was happy! I think it’s because for the first time the ward actually had enough ppl to fill a van up and go to the temple. Right before sacrament meeting a random family walked into the chapel, It is a huge blessing for us so were going to work really hard with them. Also today for p-day the zone got together and studied together and the Zone leaders gave a lesson on ´having confidence with our comp.´ well they also had an activity which went good for the most part and it went like this. The Zone was all in one room. They went and hid a couple of things though out the church and came back. Then one at a time one set of elders would have to find those things. But one of the elders had to be blind-folded and the other explains where to go. They also said that it would be timed and the fastest would get some candy. Anyway all of the other elders went first and found all the stuff in 12 min or so. Well I was a little nervous because my comp still doesn’t speak or understand very well. But I told him we would win. So E. Allen put the blind fold on first and I started to guide him and man I was running around like crazy trying to find the things then guiding him to the object. It was hard because I couldn’t speak English to him but he figured out that it was easy to just follow my voice. Anyway there’s a part in the race were we switch and I put the blind on and he started guiding me. It was supper hard because he didn’t really know what to say but I followed his voice. Anyway at one point we were going to win and he told me to start running in a straight line. (running with a blind fold isn’t a good idea, but I wanted to win!!!) SO trusting in him I began to run and at this point the whole zone was watching me and saying to run so I actually started running. Well in this hall there was a huge flower pot and while running I kind of went off course and ran right over this pot like I was playing football. I was totally trusting in my comp to tell me to stop if I was going to hit something but he never said to stop so I hit it. Neither did the other 10 elders....... anyways long story short, trusting in my comp, he let me run into this pot and I broke it. When I asked him why he didn’t say anything he said he didn’t know the word in Portuguese. Then the other elders told him he should have at least said it in English. But any who I broke the thing because my comp let me run into it, good thing is I won’t have to pay for it but it was pretty crazy.
But my week has been good. Jake sounds like a stud baptizing like an animal which is way cool. I’m so glad for his success. But I love you all. Be careful! Love. -Josh

Hey everyone so another busy week and I have a lot to tell you’re so first off I did get some money out of the bank and already bought one more item to send home. (I’ll send a picture home) and so when I get things ready ill send a few things home in the future. But thanks for getting my card all worked out for me. Anyway last week I told you that I was going back to Curitiba to take my comp to the federal police and well it actually turned out to be a special thing for me also. So while there my comp and I was walking into the bathroom and I saw a girl cleaning and she looked at me then I went into the bathroom. For a moment I thought man she looks so familiar so leaving the bathroom I went on a search inside the federal police station in search of this lady. Well after 10 min I found her and I went up to her to talk to her. When I started talking I remembered exactly who it was and before any words were exchanged her name popped right into my head. Her name was ``Maria`` and exactly 5 months ago that day I did her baptism interview. (which was my second interview ever) It was really cool and very special to talk to her. I asked her how things were doing and she told me her son was also baptized later. So for some strange reason I was able to talk to her, even though it wasn’t anybody that I baptized but yet someone who I remembered and an interview I remember really well. Also while their I was talking to an elder who worked in my first areas. Well the area that we were taking care of along with our area. Anyway he asked me if know who was ``Cintia`` and I was like ya she was my first baptism and he told me that she is supper amazing even thought she only 9 years old she learned to play the piano and plays every Sunday. This elder also told me about another lady that I started to teach there and told me that she was baptized. This was another lady who we worked with a TON and we didn’t ever baptize her because of an elder who did a bad baptism interview with her. Anyway this elder told me that she still remembered me as the one who didn’t know how to speak at all but always smiled. But she said she was so grateful for us teaching her. So it was a supper and very exciting story for me. Once again I wasn’t ever able to see her baptized but knowing that she was finally baptized is so cool and a miracle.
On Friday I’ll be in the presence of Elder Anderson and Elder Ballard as they will talk to our mission. Man its going to be so cool!!!!! I’m stoked!! Anyways that’s my week for ya. It’s been good and I’m doing well. Jake sounds like he’s in his second area and I know he will like it. But I love you all be safe and pray for the snow. Love -Josh

Hey Everyone!!!
So it seems like the week went by a little slower than normal, but with that it seems like we were able to do a little bit more. I must say that as of now I am learning a lot and really see that my new companion has a huge testimony and probably enough faith that he could move a mountain if he wanted to. At least a lot more that I did when I first got into the mission, but he’s been one of the most positive companions that I have had. Although he’s really quiet and only talks about his chickens or cats..... It’s kind of a weird thing but like every time he sees a chicken or a cat he does this high scream and says ``oh my gosh`` So other than that he loves cat more than Becky dose and has already tried to bring one home, other than that he’s a sweet comp. He’s trying to do his best and learn things and tries to keep up with me. I like to think of him as my mini-me. He mimics my moves and everything I do. At times it’s funny. If I lean forward, he will. If I cross my arms to pray he will. If I pull out my planner for nothing he will and if I buy something he will. It’s great because if I start cleaning the house he will too. lol so I have fun with it and it shows that I have to be obedient because he follows my example. Anyway the work has been good. We marked a lot of baptism dates and found a few awesome ppl to teach. It’s been raining a ton at night and during the mornings and the it’s supper hot and humid in the afternoons. The shoes I have are awesome and I haven’t had wet feet yet!! Unlike last year every time it rained. So it’s been the best present. Tomorrow will be a busy day for us because once again we have to make the trip to Curitiba and it will be 4 hours on a bus and the while there my comp will get registered at the federal Police. Anyway I’m doing well. I’m learning a lot right now and seeing people open up their doors to us. I just want you all to know that I know the savior lives and that God is a God of miracles. He changes and moves people lives in short amounts of time and guides us to people who are ready and in need of the gospel. I’m supper glad you guys are reading the BOM and I hope you continue to do that. Be safe and travel safe. I love you All, -Josh