hello family!

Mom, i got the package! thank you SO MUCh. i am sending pictures of how my thanksgiving went, i made a thankgsiving feast on friday, because we didnt have a lunch appointment, like we did on the actual day. but it turned out really well! also i love the PMG, it is very handy, and now when i travel to londrina, or district meeting, ect, i dont have to lug around the big one. ALSO that camera you sent me is awesome, just thank you very much for everything! i like alot that talk by elder uchtdorf, his talks are always excellent, and seem to be just what i need to hear. about you coming to brazil, i understand if you feel like it would be difficult here, that was one of my biggest concerns was how you would be able to eat, because the food here is probably very heavy and such, so if you decided not to go i will be ok with it, as long as i can give you a big hug in the airport. also, i dont know how your thinking about it, but if you would want to send joseph in our place, that would be cool. but just figure out what is best for you guys!

dad, its depressing to hear that notre dame is number one in the country. i dont even know what to say. it sounds like the trip up there was quite the long haul, next time theyll need to come down to pittsburgh! haha. the internet capibilities will be fine i think for skype, i heard that it depends where you do it. if i stay here in maringá, it will be totally fine because the member that ive already planned with has internet in his house because he works from home, so its reliable and stable, i think. i remember that talk by elder christofferson, his talks are indeed wakerupers. i really miss the temple. we have to go together when i get back, because after going through in the MTC, ive been deprived now. 

soo to start off, yes i got glasses. this will be one thing you see in the photos ive sent this week, and i have to use them all the time. things have gotten alot more clearer than i thought they would be, i knew that i was having headaches and difficulties and all, but it wasnt until i got the glasses that i really noticed how my vision was blurry and all. but now its all good!

this week i went to londrina for the leaders council, and it was one of the marking experiences of my mission. President Tavares gave a training about the doctrine of crist, and how the doctrine changes behavior, and it was all things that i knew before, but just something about how it was discussed this last week really strengthened my testimony, it was one of those rare moments when you feel like you are significantly converted, seeing as how it usually comes line upon line, and you barely notice. but this week i noticed.

we had a man come to church this week who we found last week, his name is olivio, and he his i think the most prepared person i have ever come across on the mission. he loved church, and he is totally progressing and getting to know all the members. i wanted to ask you guys to put him in your prayers this week! (oh-leee-vee-ohh) i would be grateful.

this week i well be reading the following 2 talks: 

the wind beneath your wings - Elder Uchtdorf

our moral test - D. Todd Cristofferson

truth restored - Elder Uchtdorf


onto the plans for picking me up on the mission. i have an update! so i found out this week that normally how picking up a child works is that we use the last week of my mission to show you around. before, i thought it was after, but how it would work is that you would get here one week before my plane flight home, and we woud go around and see all the stuff, and then come back to londrina, have all the ending stuff with president, and then we go back to the states just like if i had left normally. so we gotta get on that! 

i got to give a talk this last week on the theme "christ, our leader and savior". i talked about how he leads us by example, both in word (or commandments, such as baptism) and caracter (who he was as a person). it went well! and was also very very easy.

i love you guys, and have a great week! until next week, and just to reaffirm we need to get on the plans for you to come out here, the quicker the cheaper! until next week!

Elder Hoskin.