A little bit more from his Dad's letter...

 I love our area, there are a million hills and so it is extremely tiring, but im used to it now. our area is about the size of all of queen creek with as many people as gilbert. it is a very big area. I live in a house on the corner of a very tall hill. There are two american missionaries that live with us, elder Merril from medford oregon and elder Jacson from connecticut, but his family moved to meridian, idaho. he is going home in 2 weeks, so he is trunky.. haha
Our apartment is tight, its a covered garage type kitchen with title everywhere, then inside we have a bathroom and one room but its pretty big. We hang dry our clothes in another driveway place. it feels like a beach house. haha, its all made out of block.
Its hard for me to not to tell you everything im doing too!! haha, We walk everywhere, we take a bus to district/zone meeting every tuesday in Sao Jose Dos Campos. The members are amazing. We get fed lunch everyday, lunch is the biggest meal here, and everyone just eats soooo much. haha, so big lunches and no dinners... The members are very kind and the honestly adore all the missionaries. I cant understand all of what they say, but i always here the words missão and almoço in talks on sunday. mission, and lunch.

THUMBS UP...7-UP!!!!

 Elder Halls giving a THUMBS UP!!!....Elder Squires just smiling!!

...still raining....

April 30, 2012 
Note from Elder Halls Mom: In the last letter, I  shared my thoughts on how the ability to learn another language "beautifully" is in our blood, and I reminded him that his Papa Roberts went to Argentina on his mission and learned the language "beautifully", and even helped other missionaries learn the accent/dialect of the language. I also reminded him of all the Cox relatives who have served in Brazil and South America and have been able to learn the language. I said one day it would just "click!" I also reminded him of the blessing he received from our Stake President, Matthew Riggs, that said he would be able to learn and speak the language. Our Stake Presidency in Elder Halls home ward was changed, and they put our Bishop, Matthew Wright in as the 1st Counselor. Also, about the Prom dress reference. I spent the past weekend sewing sleeves on a gorgeous dress for his sister after the one we custom ordered was stuck in New Jersey the day of Prom. I sent him a picture of his sister and her date.



Haha mom! I love your letter, the language is coming.. haha, having only americans in my apartment isnt helping, but i am learning alot. I pray as well for it to one day just click. The stronger my desire to communicate is, the easier it is to speak. This week, the spirit led us to a home of a man named syndei with his family, Mariana, orlando and Edina. Mariana and orlando are probaly about 20, and Edina is his wife. We met Sydnei on the streets about a week before. We clapped there door, and they were so kind and welcoming, and we walked in, got to know them a little bit, and taught the restoration. I dont remember all that was said, but i remember the spirit was so strong, and they are truely ready to recieve it. They understand the need for a restoration of Gods church, and they accepted the book of mormon. I was able to communicate very well to them, and the things that i wasnt able to communicate, was even the more remarkable experience. I had things that i wanted to say, but had no idea how to express it, so i prayed that my companion would have the same thoughts and that the spirit would teach this family. As i prayed earnestly for the spirit to enter the home, my companion said word for word, ideas that i wanted to say and thing that i wanted expressed. Both times we left this home, we fell on our knees as soon as we were away from the home, and thanked our Father in Heaven for showing us this family. I am very excited to see them progress.

About this week, it has rained for the past 3 days, and walking here was crazy! im still trying to figure out how to upload pictures without a cord... haha, ill figure it out! I am very excited for the new stake presidency!!! I wonder who our new bispo is going to be? Maybe... (((please edit out before showing- (??????????????)- thank you :)))

:) I love you all! I,m glad everything worked out for emily at prom!!! Parabens on the dress, I give you the MVM(most valuable mom) award for the week! That beats all the amazing lunches i had!!!
Keep Praying for me, i hope i can pick up the language and start doing some work. i just need to remember that most missionaries by this point would still be in the CTM, because they did the 6 week program with us, the old program would have me go into the field this week! Well its 3:00 and we are going to eat lunch. Still raining. haha, its starting to get really cold! Whats the weather like over there?  I love you!

Elder Halls

Elder Holland visits Sao Paulo East!!!

	Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 9:56 AM
Mom, Emily, Dad, Ammon, Tanner, Friends, family. haha you are all my family. I feel inadaquite. The faith and testimony of your letter (mom) and especially emily´s letter brought me to tears. Eu vou sentir saudades, i will miss our ward and stake, but i know the lord is in control and does things to prepare us for the blessings he wants desperatly to give us. Sorry about saying i sent a letter... i meant email... haha, i will send one this week :) Except i lost all of my addresses that i brought with me... sooo... yeah.. haha. I am very excited to see where we are moving to! Sounds awesome! I think i sent an email to dad telling him how much i love him, but i dont think it went through, to mushy i guess. anyway, dad, i love you, and am so grateful for your example in my life. Mom, i love you para sempre, Emily, your letter made me cry, and I love you. Ammon, I love you so much! I still am waiting for a letter from you!!! Tanner, i miss you! cant wait to talk to you!     So seeing Jeffery R Holland was the most amazing part of my mission yet. He is truely called of God, I know it, and I cannot deny it. I dont know how anyone who shakes his hand and looks in his eyes could not know. His wife gave an amazing talk. She is just as inspired as he is! His talk was amazing, i dont have my notes, but i remember what he talked about. He talked about us doing the same thing that we ask our investigators to do. We ask them to make sacrifices that will change their lives, God is asking nothing less from us. We are God´s investigators. We ask our investigators to study a little harder, God is asking us the same. We invite our investigators to be batized by water and the spirit, and he asks the same from us. We need to become converted, he said, do you want to serve a mission, or do you want to serve a firey mission with passion, prayer, love for your investigators and everyone that you come across.    He looked as us, and with tears in his eyes said, I weep so much because of the sin and sorrow of this world. He said that one of the beautiful truths that our church has brought the world is the image of a weeping God. He told us that no young many in the history of time was changed by a mission as much as he was. It shaped every aspect of his life.    I am so grateful for being here, if anyone has doubt about serving a mission, tell them to talk to me. I have only been out for 7 weeks and i know, without a doubt this is where God wants every worthy male who is capable. Giving your time in service to the lord will only help you come to realize how much you are actually recieving.    ANYWAY>>... about the details of my area, because i know it´s killing everyone! especially mom. haha, I am in Jacarei, and everyone speaks portuguese. I am trying very hard. haha, there are hills EVERYWHERE. its funny because the city is divided into two areas, the city, which is elder Merrill and elder Jackson, and they have a ward, and no hills. And the other half of the city is like a gilbert/queen creek suburban area condensed in a way we can walk around to every place. There are sooo manny hills. But i love this area. haha, i love the members of the branch. We have some farm land too in my area that i hope to send a picture to you of next week. Most the roads are stone, mom, i might need some more shoes.. haha. My companion is awesome! Elder Squires has actually only been in brazil for 3 months, because he served is first 7 months in texas waiting for a visa!!! haha, so we are two gringos running around trying to learn portugues and invite people to come unto Christ.    Last night, we were walking down a street when i saw some kids, and i started to joke a little with them while showing them how to play futebol. haha, after a few minutes of doing hand stands and playing futebol, my companion and I found ourselves in the home with 10 people, most being children about 12-16 years old, and a mom. We taught the restoration and the mother and one of the children prayed. The spirit was so strong, and i felt great, so i started to testify about God´s love for us and how he sent his son, Jesus Christ. And how he gave us prophets to guide us. When i realized everyone there was laughing at me... i couldnt even finish and then the mother of the home said, Eu não intende nada! haha, i laughed, and appologized, but inside i was kinda hurt.. haha it was a very humbling experiance for me, and i realized i really need to work harder on the language. haha, i am very excited to go back to that home and teach them again. It was an amazing experience, even if they couldnt understand anything.. hahaha    Well, i wish i could have been there sunday! Sounds like a lot of very powerful missionaries are going out. Sam, Taylor, Cody, Lincoln, Conner, i would love to get all their email addresses to write them! They are going to love every second. It goes by too fast. Love you! Elder Halls ps. Mom! i love you, i have some things you can send me :) haha, just an idea Granola (homemade, vacuum sealed if possible) Reflections of Christ (If you cant mail the book, could you mail the DVD?) Pop Rocks (members want some :)) Addresses (i lost them all... haha) A new watch? (haha, maybe? just thought i´d throw it out there, one that doesnt have cloth, because the cloth got really stinky... or you could just let me buy one here) English Dictionary Peanut Butter CTR ring (the one that chaille gave me.. i forgot it..) Can of Chille? (Cattle drive) LOTS OF LETTERS!!!!!! LOTS OF PICTURES!!!! (everyone asks to see pictures of my family, and all i have are ones of us all crying the day i left. haha) pss, i didnt bring the right charger for my camera, so i need to either find a universal camera battery charger, or i need a new camera... haha, but i will figure that out. I will pay you back if you do happen to buy one, and i think that we could get a good 12 mpx one for only $140, I am sorry this is so long. haha, these things are just suggestions, also. I hear that flat rate boxes are the o melhor facil way to send things. Use alot of tape though, the more tape, the less likely the box will be randomly checked by customs. I love you. [Quoted text hidden] NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

Look out Sao Paulo East...Elder Halls has ARRIVED!!!!

Week 7 (WOW!!!)
The pictures were sent to us from Elder Bangerter, Elder Halls companion in the Brazil MTC (CTM for all you Brazilians). This is ALL of the pictures I have since week 1. Thank you, Elder Bangerter!!!! The missionary that Elder Halls is referring to, Elder Shanks, the one hit by a bus, has a blog set up. My son didn't know it, but I have been following his blog for weeks now, after learning about him on a missionary moms email list I'm part of - here is the link - http://www.elderbrittenschenk.blogspot.com/  I know the Lord loves his missionaries!

Oi!!!!!! Minha familia!!!!! this week has been awesome! and so has last week haha, and now i have to figure out how to tell you guys about it!!! so my new companion is Elder Squires from Sacramento area in california. He is way awesome. We are definately going to work hard. My mission president is such an inspired man! i cant even begin to explain how cool he is, but i will try. He interviewed us all, and every person walk out of the office with a smile, and with no more worries. he know just what to say that gets you excited to work, haha, for example. he shared a story about how when he was our age, he was the best handball player in portugal. and then he said, why do i tell you that? because i am a champion. i am either the best, or i am nothing. you will be the same. haha, our mission will be very hard, but it will be worth it.

I feel like how i felt at the beginning of my senior year of football when my coaches, especially coach hawthorne were telling us how hard we will work, but how much fun we will have. Coach hawthorne said his fun came from winning football games, and on the mission, our fun comes from our success, which is measured by how much we love the people, how close we felt to the spirit, and how we feel the spirit working through us to the people.

Entao, i will tell you about the last two weeks. haha, so the last week of the ctm was amazing, the language really felt like i was improving, i was growing in the spirit, and i was really enjoying the last few days in the ctm. So when we left, we woke up at 4 am, took a bus to our area and met the mission president, had some instruction and by 2 pm we were on our way dragging my luggage 3.5 hours on subways and buses. haha, the final part of the journey ended while dragging my luggage for 30 minutes up a hill to our house. haha, i was imagining the pioneers and what they did, so i tried not to complain. haha, I have been using not know the language as an advantage when it comes to contacting. On our way back i talked to a man on the bus, or tried to talk to him. He was wearing a shirt for a church and he was just finished with a service project, i told him how much i respected him for that, and asked him about his beliefs, then when i expounded all my portuguese, my companion, elder squires started talking to him. Before he got of the bus, and before we even asked, he gave us his number and told us to call him any time.

I am in Jacarei, which is in the Sao Jose stake i think... and my companion and there is a wonderful ward and branch here. The members are just so amazing and loving, and it has so much potential for growth. My companion, elder squires, and I are over the branch. I love it!  haha, something funny, there is a boy leaving on a mission and his fiancé spok first. haha, yes. he is engaged.. he is such and awesome boy though. Last night they had a farewell for him at the branch presidents house, and they asked me to speak and give a spiritual thought. I got up there and did my best, and i have no idea if anyone understood anything I said. haha, but it was an awesome opportunity even if i looked like kolupoki? the elder on o otro lado de ceú. haha the other side of heaven. 

anyway, the church is true, brasilian drivers are crazy, and there is no maple syrup. i love you. bye!!!

 

I have some time left on my computor, so i will tell about something that happend before i got here. I dont know if you hear, but drivers are crazy here, and no one enforces the law, and so it is very dangerous. My companion was with his trainer, elder shanks, when elder shanks was hit by a bus. Elder shanks wasnt supposed to live, but has made an amazing recovery so far. The quorum of the twelve fasted for him, and he is making a miraclous recovery.

 

Oh, by the way, JEFFERY R HOLLAND IS COMING!!!!!!!!!! he will be here on satuday to talk to our mission and we get to have a mission conference with him here!!! He really likes our mission.  haha, this is his second time coming in 2 years, and i am so excited. I cant wait to tell you all about it!!!

 

Love you all

Elder Halls

(ps, i dont now the mission adress, but you can send things to the mission home, you can probably look it up)

if you want to send me beef jerky, i would like that. :) just mark it as shoes in the customs form. haha

wow this letter was long. haha

Last week in the Brazil MTC (called CTM in Brazil)

April 2, 2012 - Week 5

Just a note from Elder Halls mom:  The conference Elder Halls is mentioning can be linked to by going to http://www.lds.org/?lang=eng The talk Tanner shared with him, was the story of the parent's in Haiti who had prayed to find just one surviving child amid their destroyed apartment following a natural disaster. I'm not sure what speaker that was.

Family and friends!!! I loved the email! i am so glad that we bought a new car!!! So about the packages, maybe try to figure out if it is something that i could buy here first, because someone got a package sent to him and they charged him 95 reais just to pick it up. but just let me know. did everyone love conference!!?? i think my favorite talk has to be either Jefferey R. Hollands first talk, or the one Tanner talked about. i dont have my notes with me, but i loved how Elder Holland ended. "dont delay, its getting late" i loved that talk. I know that it doesnt matter when you return to the Lord as long as there is still time, the ultimate reward will still be the same. however, we must know that we will be held accountable for those we didnt effect or neglected when we could have had an impact.today is my last pday in the ctm, and i am actually really glad to get out of here!!! haha, i will miss the other elders here, but i cannot wait to be in the mission field. i was able to leave the ctm last week to get my glasses fixed after a volleyball accident, and it was just elder bangerter and i walking around the streets. it felt so awesome! and i felt like i just wanted to talk to everyone i saw, and i did!!! haha, i would usually only get as far as boa tarde! tudo bom? haha.i hope everyone loved conference!!! i missed going to priesthood session with dad and ammon. we watched priesthood sunday morning because of the 3 hour delay. haha, thats a funny story about emily watching david archuleta. i was watching it, and my companion elder bangerter wispered, thats david archuleta. haha, and a couple of guys who just came from the provo mtc said they talked to him after he reported, elder archuleta is going somewhere in northern chile. haha, he is such a great example to the world.so tonight i am singing the song, This is The Christ in front of the whole CTM for the devotional! so pray for me! i actually asked to sing it, because i love this song so much. time to go!out of time, love you guys!!! you~re in my prayers!!!!-elder Hawwls

Brazilian FOOD!!!

March 27, 2012 - Week 4

This week has been awesome! On sunday we had the first black missionary of the Church after the revealation about the priesthood speak with us. His wife spoke, and they were using missionary translaters, and the translaters were having a hard time. Then He got up and said, take a nap, haha, ill speak in English and Portuguese. His name is President Martin. He gave an amazing talk. He is the president of Sao Paulo Norte i think?

The language is difficult, and just when i think i'm making big improvements I realize how little in know. Haha, I can communicate really well in lessons, but sometimes i wont be able to think of a word and ill just get stuck... haha.

Dad told me that i should tell you all about the food here! So we have a really awesome meal plan, except some people in my district dont like it. We eat pannini style bread? i think thats what it is, with cheese and meat, and all different types of jucies, like strawberry, passionfriut, orange juice. lunch is the biggest meal of the day, and it consists of some sort of meat, then all you can eat beans and rice, and small salad and fruit bar with no ranch.. haha, but it is amazing. you can put this sand stuff on your beans and rice, and then there are more juices or guarana, which i cant handle, it is wayy to sugary and has far to much caffiene. haha, for dinner we just have a smaller version of lunch. I am always in heaven, because i can eat as much as i want!

Yesterday I had a very good experience teaching a mock lesson with a new teacher. We were teaching on the plan of salvation, and he had a question about what will happen to his wife since she has died. I found a scripture in alma chapter 40 that i had previously read. he read that, and i was able to explain the entire though that i was trying to convey in portuguese. It was such a boost for me because i was having a really hard time with the language, and i was getting really discouraged.

I love you all. I still feel like i have barely left.

I will miss watching conference with our family! especially priesthood session with dad and ammon!!!

-Elder Halls

ps// I got the resses!!!! thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!! and I am going to have a pizza party next week!!!

  and next week i am getting my peanut m and ms!!!! so im going to a restraunt that is all you can eat meat, just like tuscanos for only 20 reais!!! love you