Good ol' Idaho!

From Ethan: Monday, July 27, 2015

The weather has gotten MUCH better with temps mostly in the 70’s and 80’s and above average rainfall which is nice.  After almost 2 years, my clothes are in great shape. I’ve only ruined 2 shirts my whole mission and my socks aren’t getting holes in them! Aren’t you proud of me?

We had an awesome in-the-moment missionary experience last Saturday.  Walking to our car after a lesson, we heard a guy jamming on a guitar down the street.  Immediately I thought, “Oh, let’s go talk to him!”  Then I looked at my watch and it was time to go home.  In the car, again I got a prompting to go talk to him, so we did.  It was a little awkward at first, but he warmed up.  Kevin Olsen, from Atlanta Georgia, is a deeply religious guy who recently went through a hard time so he is driving across the country to Oregon to see his children.  Our meeting was definitely inspired of God.  We shared the restoration of the gospel, the calling of the prophet Joseph Smith, and the divinity of the Book of Mormon. Kevin said, “I know God is not dead and He talks to His children so why couldn’t He have a prophet on the earth today?”  We told Kevin he could find out for himself that these things are true by reading the Book of Mormon.  He agreed and we had a prayer with him before we split.  I’m convinced I will never see Kevin again but I know I shared truth with him.  I hope he sincerely reads and prays.  The answers that await him will change his life!

Other exciting things happened this week including getting puked on by a dog during the middle of a lesson, hiking “Box Canyon” here in Hagerman, getting to run a jack hammer for the first time, grinding fish guts at a fish processing plant and going to a Rodeo for stake Pioneer Day celebration to watch team roping, barrel racing, pig wrestling and more fun games.  Too bad we couldn’t participate or else my white shirt and tie would be brown from rolling around in the mud and poo! 

That’s good ol’ Idaho for ya! =)

~ Elder Howard

Lots of Ears and Lessons

From Ethan: Monday, July 20, 2015

‘Twas an awesome week in Hagerman, ID.  I couldn’t ask for a better 7 days!  We had great opportunities to help people, give service and teach the gospel including a new investigator, Xander.

For physical work this week, we weeded a rose bed, took out some young trees, moved water lines, landscaped a rock bed and helped harvest corn. The first of the sweet corn is ready for harvest right now and we picked 4400 ears!  I appreciate food in grocery stores a lot more now. But they say don’t talk about others in a corn field. . . it has ears.  Also, don’t do anything illegal in a potato field. . . it has eyes. Ha, ha, ha! Anyway, helping people in service is always a pleasure. =)

Seven of the people we are teaching came to church this past Sunday, Vanessa and her 2 kids Cheyenne (15) and Chandler (9), Cameron Lockler (17), William Percival, Morgan Ramirez (15), and Xander Orth (16). Here is a little about what is happening with these people.

Vanessa’s daughter Cheyenne is only here for 5 weeks because she lives with her father in Washington, but we were able to meet with them 3 times this week.  We taught about repentance and giving up our “weapons” of rebellion like the people of Ammon in the Book of Mormon. Cameron (17) has come to church a few times with her boyfriend member of the ward (congregation.)  She is pretty open to the gospel.  We talked a lot about baptism this week, but we tread carefully because we want her to know for herself, choose baptism for herself and not for her boyfriend or anyone else.  We are stressing the importance of reading the Book of Mormon to find out for herself if this gospel is true.  William’s dad is hindering us from teaching in their home, but he still comes to church every week which hopefully will help his testimony. Morgan’s family was baptized in February but she was not because she got offended at church which shook her testimony.  She is super independent, so she wants to find out if this church is true for herself, not just follow her parents.  Xander, Morgan’s cousin, has noticed a change in her family since joining the church. He has had a rough life and a contentious home so he desires good in his life.  He has found peace in the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Both Elder Schuck and I were very excited about all the good that happened this week.  We have been trying really hard to include these people and others in our prayers.  Prayer is powerful in helping people come closer to the Lord and feel the Spirit.  The Lord answers prayers. I have no doubt about that!  It is because of answers to prayers that I decided to serve this mission. I know this is where the Lord wants me! =)

May God bless you all and I invite you to keep Him close.

~Elder Howard

Search and Find Him

From Ethan Monday, July 13, 2015

Hello! Sorry for not writing for a couple of weeks.  It gets way too easy to get lost in activities on P-day. 

A couple weeks ago we went to a dairy farm in Gooding, ID.  We fed baby calves, one sucked on my finger, and we milked adult cows!  That’s sure an experience.  I could tell that when an Elder or Sister was afraid to touch a cow, it became uneasy.  So I put my belt of courage on and just went for it!  It turned out to be pretty easy. =)  This week we went with a family to Eureka Cave just out of Mountain Home.  Then we took out trip a little farther north to Anderson Ranch Dam where we skipped rocks and fun things like that.  Hopefully, the 2^nd Counselor in the Mission Presidency, Pres. Owsley, who lives in Hagerman, will take us Sturgeon fishing.

As for the missionary work, we’ve seen some good progress.  The church members here are awesome missionaries!  Recently, a young man, Cole Kress, brought Cameron Lochler, a girl he is dating, to church. On top of that, one of her good friends invited her to Young Women’s Camp.  At camp she expressed an interest in learning more about the church, so they set up an appointment for us.  We have been teaching her for two weeks.  She told us that she felt the Spirit at a testimony meeting they had at camp, so she seems open to accepting the gospel.  This week will teach The Gospel - faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. So, we’ll talk about baptism and see where she is at.

Yesterday we read more scriptures with Vanessa Stone and her two kids.  We read 2 Nephi 25 one of my personal favorite chapters because it focuses on how Christ is the center of our faith.  Three verses capture that vision:

“there is none other name given under heaven save it be this  Jesus Christ . . . whereby man can be saved” (2 Nephi 25:20)

“for we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God: for we know that it is by grace we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23)

“and we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” (2 Nephi 25:26)

What great scriptures, right? After reading those scriptures it was easy to testify with the Spirit that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and that we must look to Him as our example and the author of our faith.  We must believe in Him in order to return to live with God one day. That’s what the gospel is all about!

I love moments like that where we can testify of our Savior.  It makes this work so real and so worth it! If you haven’t read those scriptures, I would invite you to do so on your own time and find your own personal faith in Jesus Christ. I know He is my Redeemer and my Savior and yours as well. Search Him out and you’ll find Him in your heart.

With that have a joyous week!

Elder Howard

P.S. My mailbox is starving.  Write me a quick note.

Elder Howard

560 State Street North

Hagerman, ID 83332

The "Why" of Church Attendance

From Ethan June 29, 2015

Holy Comoly, I can't believe it is almost July!  I've been in Hagerman for nearly 5 weeks already?? My goodness it is going way too fast!


Hagerman is a good area, a little different than all my other areas.  There was already work here when I arrived, but that's where the struggles have been.  The Elders before us were great and made a ton of relationships here.  Now that we are here in their place, the people they were teaching have kind of dropped off the face of the earth.  Some have been out of town every week this summer.  Some won't return our calls.  Some even asked us to stop coming by. =/  That is heart breaking right there!


On the brighter side, there is one family we are working with that has shown a lot of progress.  The Bieroth family's dad grew up in the church over in Mountain Home.  The Elders before us baptized two of the children, but one child and the wife haven't been baptized yet.  They've all been coming to church for a few weeks.  This week we gave a lesson about the sacrament.  The sacrament is the "why" in church attendance.  In all the covenants or promises we make with God, we promise to keep His commandments yet all of us are imperfect and make mistakes every day.  When we are baptized, all our prior mistakes are washed away.  Every time we take the sacrament and apply the Savior's atonement, the same thing happens! It's like a roller coaster, up and down, up and down, but this roller coaster, if we give repentance our all, ends in the Celestial Kingdom with our Father in Heaven. =)


William and Ken Percival aren't progressing.  William isn't reading the Book of Mormon or staying for Sunday School and Priesthood meeting at church.  He and his dad look too far into things especially scriptures picking them apart, bringing doubt into their minds.  Really the gospel is incredibly simple as taught by the Savior Himself in 3 Nephi 11:31-38.  It is faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.  That's all folks.  Our mind and stubbornness or pride that makes the gospel complicated.


Well, the time is flying by and I'm just trying to hold on by my fingertips until the end.


Love Elder Howard

Crazy Hot

From Ethan: Monday, June 22, 2015

I’ve been dying out here in the heat.  Almost every day it gets above 90, sometimes over 100 and the sun is crazy HOT!  Missionary work is hot as well as we consistently have 3 – 4 people to teach every week.  Elder Schuck and I teach fairly well together.  Here is a little bit about some of the people we are teaching.  Vanessa Stone and 2 of her 3 children are taking the lessons.  Her husband and one son, who drink, smoke, and never wear shirts, are pretty against the church.  It’s a tough environment to teach in, but they came to church this week.   William, whom I wrote about last time, is 12 years old and sees the church more as a social outlet right now. Shanee is 13 year old. And we are starting to teach Cameron as 17 year old who went to Girl’s Camp with her best friend and is dating a young man in the Priest’s Quorum.  It is nice to have so many members open to sharing the gospel and fellowshipping in such a small town.

Elder Schuck and I are the only Elders in Hagerman.  The number of missionaries in our mission is slowly decreasing.  Just this last transfer, two areas were combined into one so that now one set of Elders covers 4 wards (congregations.)  I wouldn’t be surprised if Hagerman is closed or combined since it is so small.

(Here is a little bit from Ethan’s message to Mark and I)  We drive a 2014 Chevy Cruze.  It’s like a lunchbox car!  We live in a full house – 2 bedrooms, kitchen, livingroom and bathroom – all by ourselves.  It’s big, kind of old, and run down.  If we take a shower while using the washing machine, it bubbles up and smells bad like rotten eggs/sulfer.  There is no Air conditioning either.  There are a ton of spiders, bugs, and frogs in the basement, so we don’t go down there much!  Good ol’ missionary life!  It’ll be fine for 3 months!

~ Love Elder Howard

Here are a couple pictures – one of the house we live in and the other of the valley where Hagerman sits.  It is quiet which I like, but not as much trees as MN.  I miss trees so much and that’s why I liked serving in Stanley so much!

First Impressions

From Ethan: Monday, June 15, 2015

T’was a fairly interesting week in Hagerman,ID.

On Monday for Preparation day (P-day) we went down the canyon in Jerome to the Snake River and climbed to a cool waterfall.  During the adventure, our phone fell into the creek.  After drying it out the screen stopped working, so Wednesday we took a trip to Twin Falls with the 2^nd Counselor of Mission Presidency to get it fixed meanwhile he and his wife took us to the mall, out to eat, and exploring Twin Falls.  It was cool!

On Thursday I had an interesting experience with first impressions.  A young man about 24 years old has been coming to church on his own for a couple weeks, so we visited him at his home where he lives with his parents.  His father answered the door saying, “Boys, I recognize the suits. What can I do for you?”  We asked for William and he invited us in.  We sat at the kitchen table with William while his father sat in the living room watching T.V.  I have learned that the more you are interested in someone the more they will be interested in what you have to say, so I like to ask questions to spark conversation about someone.  This back fired terribly.  When I asked William questions about his hobbies, family, beliefs, how long he lived here, and so forth it only took a couple minutes until his dad stood up and sternly asked, “Kid, do you work for the police dept. or something?”  Shocked I stammered out a quiet, “No, sir.”  Then he said, “It is boys like you that rub me the wrong way.  Now you better stop interrogating my son or I’m going to ask you to leave!”  Speechless, I stared at him, holding my prideful tongue and eventually squawked out, I’m sorry, sir.”  Luckily my companion saved me by starting to talk about the gospel and the Book of Mormon.  William’s dad stayed for the lesson. William committed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon.  After the lesson I noticed 5 guitars in the living room.  I asked who played and William’s dad said he did.  Courageously I asked if he would play something for us.  Then he let me play with him and we ended up on a good note with him inviting us to come back!

After getting reprimanded, I said a silent praying asking God to soften the dad’s heart.  God does answer prayers.  Experiences like that are priceless.  Luckily I held my tongue, letting God solve the issue.

Today we are going to Mountain Home for P-day to visit friends I have made there.  We might even get to play volleyball or go to the sand dunes!  I am super excited!.

Until next week, stay classy. =]

Elder Ethan Howard

Last Transfer

From Ethan: Monday, June 8, 2015

Hello Family & Friends,

                Hagerman, ID is my new area, a cool little town on the Snake River down in a valley almost exactly half way between Twin Falls and Mountain Home.  Hagerman has a population of about 700 – 800.  We also cover the two very small towns of Tuttle and Bliss.  The main attractions to Hagerman are fish hatcheries, fishing, cattle and last but not least watermelon farms!  The fish, mostly trout is supplied to restaurants nationwide and the watermelons to grocery stores nationwide.  One perk to being here is that Mountain Home is in my zone, so I can go there on P-day!  We have a trip there already planned and approved for next week June 15^th.  :) 

                After an unexpected change, my new companion is Elder Schuck from Rolla, Missouri. Rolla is south of ST. Louis and east of Springfield where my grandfather lives.  Elder Schuck is similar to my childhood friend, Charles Florman, in every way – mannerisms, sense of humor, personality, preferences, and physical build – which is awesome because it often feels like I’m 9 years old again on a sleepover! 

                For being such a small town, I’m surprised at the amount of missionary work and opportunities here in Hagerman.  This is the first area I’ve been to that has had past sets of Elders who were good and hardworking. So, we have inherited some great investigators and families to work with.

                Boy oh boy, the past couple of weeks have been a time of learning humility.  I can be a very prideful person.  A big part of my mission has been learning to shovel away my pride and humbling myself.  A couple of things I have come to learn is that humility is being selfless, lifting others up, putting others before yourself and respecting them. Christ is the perfect example of humility.  When we humble ourselves to His and the Father’s will, we can come closer to them.  We all have weaknesses and make mistakes, but the Lord says in Ether 12:27, “And if men come unto me I will show them their weaknesses. I give unto men weakness that they may humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

                In Christ’s atonement, He gave up everything for us imperfect humans, so why can’t we give our all? We can!  We are not perfect, but we can sure do our best to keep the commandments and do good works.  We must ask ourselves, “Which way do I face?”  No matter how far we stray, we can always repent and come unto Christ.  This gospel has changed my life.  I know that Christ lives. I know that the Father is merciful, forgiving and loving.  I testify these things are true and I bear that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

~Love,  Elder Howard

P.S. Due to some circumstances I will not be using email anymore, so if you can, please write me a letter!

Elder Ethan Howard

560 State Street North

Hagerman, ID 83332