Happy Easter

hey MOM

we had another great week!! we now have a good group of people to
help and teach about the truth and were having lots of success in the
area. im really excited for the weekend!! General Conference!!!!!
this weekend is always a looked forward to weekend on the mish.
general conference is better than the super bowl to missionaries!!
its so good to here the talks from the 12 apostolos and our prophet.
i have really gained a love for the church magazines during my
time here. every house that ya pass thru has a huge stack of liahonas
and ensigns so i have been reading a lot and i especially like the
conference ensigns. we get to go to all four sessions of conference
and then also the priesthood session so we really get our batteries
charged for the months to come. its gonna be really fun also cause
in the interval of the conference were gonna have a couple of baptisms.
in other words, this weekend is gonna be a GREAT one.
im so glad that everyone is doing good back home. i knew that ty
wouldn't be able to stay off the motor cycle for too long. its smart to
ride a four wheeler like he is gonna do to get the feel of it again.
is he getting to be pretty good buddies with ol brody purser?
i had a fun time with that kid moving pipe at brians. tell him i said hi.
thats nice that it is already nice enough for jud to get his bike out and ride.
i know that it is one of the things that jud looks forward to all winter so i
know that he really enjoyed blowing the dust off his boots and hitting the ramp.
is arien and justins house all done now? from the pictures that she sent me it
looked like it was pretty much under way. that is gonna be a sweet deal
when they get it all done.
so does dad think that i could probably work with him for a while or
pick up a little portable toilet route when i get home?? if not im gonna have
to get hunting for a job quick when i get home cause i got a few good months
before i head to college.... college?... its gonna be crazy!
i liked that singing card that you sent me mom. the "i love you, a bushel
and a peck" . i think im driving my companion a little insane with that one.
i decided to just listen to it when he is taking a shower to not cause problems...
its sure is a catchy little song. i remember when granny used to sing
that song.. good times.
we had a really cool experience this week. we were walking down the
street the other day and a younger guy called after us and asked us what
is was that we do? we were heading to another appointment so we ended
up marking for the next day to teach him and his family. we went back the
next day and he wasnt home but we talked his sister into letting us share a
message with her instead. we found out that she has been having a really
hard life and that she gave up drugs and is wanting to do the right things to
straighten her life out. we taught a really good spiritual lesson and she really
felt it and accepted a baptismal goal. we still need to teach the rest of the fam
but we're excited with her and the desire she has to follow what is right.
we have come across a few really good people this last little while.
só bênça!!
i love you guys and i hope that you have a great week!"!!

Elder Coats

ps. the mission office wants to know what airport i want to land in
i can go to the pocatello airport if u guys think that would be better.
i think the salt lake city airport would be better though?
just let me know.

A Good Opportunity

hey mom,

the new area is a really good one and i've been really excited
to get out and work each day. Sunday was really fun cause i
was able to talk to the members in my very first ward here on
the mish. we share the same chapel on sundays so it was
really cool to talk with them and lots of people didn't know
what to say when they saw me. made me feel pretty good.
i'm excited to be able to do a division with the elders that
are working in the area. president has set a new thing that
we have to do two divisions per week with the elders in our
zone to help them with the work in their areas. its really fun
and it gives us a good opportunity to get to know lots of great
elders.
we have been working to get us a teaching group this
week and were on the prowl for the "elects".
pretty much the best and only way to find the people that are
waiting for your message is talk to EVERYONE. so we have
been doing our best to do that. here in Curitiba the people are
a little bit more closed and ya got to work hard to catch their
attention but its fun and things are going really well.
my new comp is from san diego california. i was wondering if he
was related to tiffany and kurt boyack but he has no idea who they
are so i don't think that they are related.
so we went to the mission office last week to get some stuff and
in the bus terminal we heard this dude start screaming and we saw
him come around the corner chasing another dude. of course it
caught everyone's attention so we all tried to figure out what was
going on. the dude behind throws a big rock at the other and then
gives up and takes a sit down on the bench near the bus stop. the
dude then realizes that he has 2 bullet holes in his arm...! so he
just kinda looks at his arm while holding it up and starts screaming
bloody murder. it was dripping pretty hard core. later a guard came up
and helped him out but it was a little too much excitement in the terminal...
everyone just running around not knowing what to do. our bus got there a little
after so we got out with out any problems. but don't worry mom. we're good and
safe!!!
we have a few good families that we are teaching now and we left
some good invites for them. i know that these next few months are gonna
be really good ones.
sounds like ty is still that same old ty. just shaves his head out of the blue.
i finally got the pictures that you sent forever ago. the fam looks great and
kris and kam and rob and peri and gram and loyal and the whole gang.
looks like dad has got a start on the bike also. were gonna get 'er lookin good
when we get done. im excited to be able to go out in the shop with dad again.
its good that your enjoying the exercising mom. by that little newspaper
article that you sent me it looks like grolls gym is pretty ligit!
i'm glad that it is warming up for you guys there. its been a little rainy
the last few days but the fruits are in season once again and thats always
a good part of the year. we found a little fruit place that you pay 1.29 per kilo of
whatever fruit ya want. good stuff!!! i need to start eating more to gain some
weight back that i lost over the summer.
i'm sure the package will get to me quick now that i'm back in Curitiba. thanks mom!
i really liked that soup that you sent a while ago that ya add hot water and stir for 10
minutes and then let boil. that homestyle chicken noodle was a good taste of american
soup!!
thanks for all the love and support mom. things are going great here and im glad to
know that all is well back home also.
i love you guys!!!! have a great week!!!
Até,

Elder Coats

Transfer Day to Parigot Souza

hey mom

transfer day.......
i was transferred from Guarapuava back to Curitiba and im in an
area now that is called Parigot Souza. im stoked! after 6 months
in Guarapuava its gonna be a big change to come back to the city
but the best part of it all is that im in the neighboring area of my
very first area on the mish!!! Jd. do Sol!!! and we share the same
chapel cause our chapel here is getting re-done. im so excited to
get to talk to some of the great families that i taught just about 2 yrs
ago when i couldn't speak the language.
so after the good 5 hour bus ride i made it back to the city.
my new comp is Elder Boyack from California. he is a way cool elder
that i have also known since the CTM in São Paulo. were really excited
to get out and work hard and i know that the time is gonna fly just like
this last month has. me and Elder Spencer had a really good time and
some really fun experiences. we already have plans to hang out after
the mish. i gained another true friend with him. im pretty sure that
im in my last area now.

I hope that you guys had a good week. its sounds like things are
going along really good and everyone is staying busy. Tys graduation
is getting closer and Ariens wedding also is just around the corner.
lots of good stuff is gonna go down in these next few months.
when you get the senior pics done for Ty, if its not to late, send me some.
im glad that he stayed at the west side to finish out. i know that he has had
some really good times this year.
so mom you're into the water aerobics now? i remember seeing the old ladies
doing the water aerobics at Riverdale when i was younger. dont be gettting
to old on me now mom.... jk. i heard that exercising in the water is like
the best that you can do. just dont take your ipod in the pool!
im excited to be able to go swimming again. tell loyal and aunt syble
to get better for me. it makes me sad to know that they arent doing too good.
i know that it takes a lot out on grandma also. she is always there when someone
needs a helping hand. when i pulled up to her house she wouldn't even ask
before she had a baked tater in the oven and a salad all whipped up for me.
have you noticed mom that the exercises are giving you a lot of energy yet?
i bet that it will really help you out during this case lot sale.

well everything is going really great here and im really excited to work
these last 3 months that i got left. i know that it is gonna fly by and the
work is gonna go really good. just got to do my part always so that the
blessings can flow right in.
i love you guys!! have a great week!!

um abraço

Elder Coats

Another Good Week

Hey Family,

We had another good week this week and we were able to do a few
fun service projects as well so the week actually went by way fast.
We are almost at the end of another transfer!! Next week i'm pretty
sure that i will be in another area. I will probably go back to Curitiba.
I guess we will see what happens. I have had a good time in Guarapuava
I have been able to meet some really great people. We helped out on
the branch president's dad's farm this week picking tomatoes and getting
ready for the fall season. It felt so good to do some farm work and the best
part of it all is that it is far away from anything so it was really quiet
and relaxing. We had a good time and were able to get alot done.
So everything is in line for me to go to school now? I'm guessing.
that SOAR meeting in July will get me all set up and i'll be able to
make changes with my schedule if needed. I really have no idea what I'm
gonna be getting into with college. I'm just hoping to get into some
good classes and work my butt off. i have learned how to study here on
the mission though so that is gonna help me out.
Kolby and Mike said they are trying to find a nice place that we could
all stay in so that would be nice also if they could get that worked out.
I'm gonna have to get a membership to the gym with you and
Arien, Mom. sounds like Grolls Gym is getting pretty fancy.
Ty's graduation: 36 graduates, west side high school. I bet he is
pretty excited for that. Kinda weird that his jaw keeps randomly
locking up on him. That would drive me nuts too.
That's cool that you guys are gonna do a little wedding party for Arien's
students there at the park. It should be a nice weekend to be out side.
Memorial weekend is usually nice and sunny, isn't it?
Arien, I'm so happy for you guys and I know that things are going
really well. Just keep up the good work and do what ya need to do.
Not to much to write this week but I love you guys and I
hope that ya have a great week!!
Até

Elder Coats

Good Bye to February

Minha Amada Familia,

Things continue to go fantastic here in the beautiful city of Guarapuava!!
We are working hard and the time is flying by!! the month of February
came and went like nothing! We had an awesome sacrament meeting
last week in the branch and we were able to bring lots of investigators.
A patriarch came and spoke and also one of the counselors of the
Missão Brasil Curitiba. It had been a while since i read through my
blessing but i was reminded with the great talk that the patriarch gave.
The patriarchial blessing is pretty amazing and if you really try to
understand it and live by it lots of blessing are sure to come.

We are working with a family right now that is really enjoying the
church and we got a fun family nite set up for this week.
Gabriel is already set for baptism and he is really excited, The little bro
would love to be baptized also but we had to explain to him that until
he is 8 he doesn't need to be baptized. The mom is doing her best to
get to the ready point so she can also be baptized. We're doing our
part so that she can be baptized with her son.
Nothing better than a family baptism!

I thought that was really cool that Connie Owen and Angela Rivera are serving!
Good stuff!!! Do you know were they are serving? Just about every week
now there is going to be a few coming home from the graduating class of 2007.
I think that Matt and Justin aren't too far from getting home now also.

We are actually not to close to São Paulo so the earthquake didn't reach us
here but it sounds like it did some damage. That is a huge quake 8.8.

So Kam and Rob are tearing up the court this winter huh...I'm excited to
get home and play with them a little. Its been quite a while since
I've shot hoops. I'm stoked to do the alumni tourney here in a few years
with all the guys.

Mom, when does school start at USU? When is high school
graduation for Ty? i know that i'm gonna miss it by just a few days but
it's gonna be cool to catch him fresh out of school!! Not to far away..
I love you guys!
Have a great week!!!

Elder Coats