Hello there! first of all, heres the area code for the new address: 

87038 - 120

Mom, i am already missing very much cold weather! this summer slash year is seeming much hotter than the first. when i got into the field (september 27th), it was still a little cool in the morning, but its already hot here. like i told my companion, this will be likely the hottest summer of my life. even if i live down there south, it wont be the same because i wont be walking in the sun all day as well! haha. im glad abbys enjoying activities. i hope church dances are still fun for her, i remember when i was 14 there was a ton of people, but as i got older there were less and less, or at least my perspective. im sorry that you are so tired, i know what you mean about needing sleep. remember how i would always sleep so much when i was growing up? joseph is going to be a physicians assistant? what does that intail? i am not caught up on his career choices! he needs to respond to my email. 

dad, i am going to throw down the itinerary down below! hockey already?? haha one of the reasons i love hockey. the thing that im learning about callings is that we are called for very specific reasons, or purposes. so maybe the ketchum kids need not just anyones help, but your help. i know that ive seen the youngs men president have a big influence on young men, so im sure its going to be great!


onto family stuff

well i will start off talking about the trip to come out to brazil. i got the dates, and technically my mission ends (eesh) the 17th of july, which is a wednesday. because of how it goes, the mission is actually 10 days stort of 2 years for all missionaries. so that week, monday i travel to londrina, and tuesday i have interviews with president and all. SO, heres what i was thinking for the lowdown:

you guys get here in londrina wednesday morning, so you would leave tuesday afternoon/night (the 16th).

you get here wednesday (july 17th) , and we take a bus (3.5 hours) up to Marília, where we will visit a woman named cassia of the ward there, i will try to plan her to make lunch for us (she already told me she wants to when i was there). t

hen we stay there that day, and thursday (18th) morning take another bus down to Maringá. that will be like a 5 or 6 hour bus trip, so well get there right around lunch, depending what time we leave. there is a member here named israel, hes like 25 and served a mission in boston, so he speaks english. he has a wife anf 2 little adorable kids, and he would be down to give us luch, and be able to speak to you guys in english. we would then go to the cathedral, the park ingá, see other stuff.

friday (19th)morning, we take another bus to iguacu falls (foz), which will be another 6 hours, just about. we get there around lunch, go to the waterfalls! also theres a park which i heard is surreal right next to it, and then we just stroll around and go see where i served (this part will be in all the areas), woo

then, saturday (20th), we hang out some more in iguacu falls, maybe go to paraguay, where everything is dirt cheap, and then at some point saturday we take a plane from foz to sao paulo, then back to the USA! get there sunday early, and go to church at 1:00, be it our ward or 6th ward

what do you think? the only question is how you guys want to get around the cities, rent a car or take the bus or what. renting a car i heard is reasonable, and taking the bus delays everything much more, so just think it over.

also, a bus passage for instance, from maringá to iguacu falls is 55 reals (25 dollars) per person. that charge will be about the same each day we travel in this plan. think it over! and that travel agent will probably help you out with logistics very well.

lemme know what you think!

so one thing that i have really started to like here on the mission has been baptismal interviews. it is one of the most spiritual things that happens, i think, because they bear their testimonies and all, and it is just great to see people joining the church.

also, i have grown my testimony more this week with priesthood oordinances. when i actually preform priesthood oordinance, i feel the spirit testifying to me that it is right (holy spirit of promise?). it is so clear! the church is 100 percent true. i only would need a spiritual experience once to know that this was the right church, and how blessed we all are to be able to have fortifying experiences on a daily basis!

i am starting to get sad to see missionaries leave every transfer. when i got here, there were lots and lots of missionaries who i looked up to as role models, who had a year or more who seemed like the mission couldnt live without them. and the next 2 transfers, almost all of them are leaving! 4 companions of mine, lots of people who i lived with in londrina my first 3 months. to put it short, i am getting old on the mission, so to speak. it is a weird feeling.

the leaders council was really good! i always learn alot. my president has taught me that conferences or things of the sort, if we prepare right we get exactly what we came here for, and thats how i felt about it. i had thought of questions, had doubts that were resolved there.

thats all i got for this week, the visit plan took a little time, but thats ok! let me know what you think, and i will talk to you next week! i love you guys! bye!

Elder Hoskin