Letter #43

7/2/12

Dear Family,

Happy late birhtday Trey, hopefully it was awesome. I really miss Bispo Wold and a few other members in the ward they really made a difference in my life. Well things are going well with Carlaile, and not so well with Elder Anderson. In fact we got into a fight and he did a weird poke thingy with his hand into my stomach and I hit him in the shoulder afterwards. He has been really negative this entire transfer and I think I finally got fed up with it. I am now only speaking portugues with everyone and I guess it is helping. I am in alma 48. So I am getting closer to being done with the BOM. Carlaile and De Freittas have really helped me say words correctly.

We had to cut a lot of people this week and thus we didn´t get a baptism but we are going to try and mark dates with the new people we have found. Hopefully they fulfill their comitments and they well be ready to be baptized for sure. The hardest part is allowing people to make these comittments on their own. Sometimes I want to do it for them but in order for them to recieve an answer they have to do it and I can only show and teach it is important. It is their choice to plant that seed ;).

I haven´t meet my president but we will have a conference with him next week so I will defenitly meet him. Well it still hasn´t gotten cold here and I and dying of the heat. It is suppose to get colder but that doesn´t look like it will happen. I am glad spencer is excited and is look spiffy lol. I kinda would like a suit but is is way to hot for one. I would also love a car and Dr. Pepper too but they don´t have that either. lol. I miss a lot of food from america but it is all good I will be back someday, maybe... lol. I am so happy to be able to work and not think about home. The more time I try to do stuff the less time I have to think about home. 

Thank you for the update. The m oney didn´t come in becasue of the whole new Prez and stuff, but I will not use my account. I need to be a little bit better on how I save my money from now on. I will do my best claro and I love you all.

Pai muito obrigado por sua ajuda. Eu estou bem e estou trablhando muito com meu companheiro Elder Carlaile. Ele é legal, mas ele também é de boa. Mas com ele Eu estou feliz é super animado para trabalhar. eu te amo e tenho saudade da família. Eu oro por vocês cada dia. Fique firme, feliz, e melhor.

Se amo

Elder Searle 

Letter #42

6/25/12

Dear Family,

Thanks mom nd dad for your guy´s letter. They really do help lift me up for another week. We got another baptism this week, so that is awesome. I am working hard with Carlaile and he really helps me understand what I can do better everyday. I am tired everyday ( feels good unlike with the dead) and I am excited to finish this tranfere strong. Elder Anderson has grown a lot, I think thebrasilians understand I like a clean house. ( how can someone be 22 and not clean up after himself ). I am in Alma 40, almost done and catching up. The girls in the ward are snakes but I do keep my distance, I don´t have anymore strikes to give and I rather not try and push the line. However the members blamed the past missionaries that the young women that were baptized, didn´t stay firm becasue of the missionaries. And we basically got chewed out for what they did. So that is more of my problem with the members. They point the finger and not even at the right people. ( And they didn´t call the PRez because they like the missionaries so... I just don´tknow what to do but just ignore it and work). So that what I have been doing working and walking a lot and it is nice to sleep really hard.

Ya Hannah can keep the bed board thingy. And I am glad to hear about Max. I miss him. lol Glad to hear everyone is busy and going smoothly, Trey stop teasing Hannah, and Spencer you are o cara (the face, really it means the man in this context but normally face).  I played basketball and volleyball today and bought a few futebol shirts. So I had a good P-day. There is a new sister here and she has been having a rough start but is pulling through it. We all have learned to just try to make it until tomorrow and when you finally start understanding, and talking, enjoy working with the people you forget how much time you have like me I forget I have 9 months lol. Spencer just keep doing oyur best and the Lord will bless you more than you know.

Love you all

se amo

Elder Searle (Your son)

Letter #41

6/18/12

Hey Family,

So 1st thing is the address to my mission has changed to Av. Hist. Ruben De Mendonça 1731, Bairro Consil, sala 10, Cuiaba - MT Brasil 78050-975. The other adress was to a postal box and they will don´t be using it becasue it costs money and it is slower. So yup I also got another baptism this Sunday and reach alma chapter 24 in Portuguese. I am really workin hard to sound more Brasilian and not be like Elder Wilson who had a super American accent. Our goal is to baptise a man this week but I don´t know how thta is going to work out. it seems loike all the men we meet can´t quite drinking our can´t get married legally. So We got some work on our hands. Elder Caraile has taught me a lot and is really fun. However Elder de freittas doens´t like the fact that me and Anderson speak English in the house because he doesn´t understand and Elder Caraile and understand a little bit. To most brasilians it is like a sin or something to speak even a little english. I don´t know, but it is funny/annoying how they kinda freak out about it.  The ward is seems to be more against us than I thought. They want us to baptize but they want us to tell them and lead them to the people we are baptizing before the baptism so they can tell them the ``real deal`` about being a member. And so far we have lost baptism becasue of it. So... I think I will follow Preach My Gospel on this one and hand them over aftert the baptism so they can teach lesson 5, like it should be. I am all for working with members but there are some here who feel like how the missionaires teach is wrong and they have to fix everything and they are the only ones trying to get a chapel and all we do is flirt with the girls oin the ward. Well, only the girls in the ward help us and give us names and want us to actually meet their friends and baptize them. I understand we as missionaries should  keep our distance but for me it really pisses me off when the members just sit on their buts and eternal investigators are a whole lot cooler to work with and talk to than them. And so Pedra 90 will probablly be closed and have to travel to another wrd to meet. I believe almost none of the mwill do that.

But we are trying and trying to reactivate at the same time but without the members doing the work themselves it will never work.

 

Anyways, cool to hear everyone is having fun and have lots planned. The mission is starting feel like it is moving, finally! I am super excited for this week to baptize a lot of people. A lot of firm people too. I also like the fact I feel super tired by the end of the day like I worked out for an entire day. It is also nice to find that we basically teach more than 10 lessons a week. Oh my goodness, when you teach the day just flies by, especially when you understand too. Spencer I promise you if you read the book of mormon, in Japanse you will be the man in oyu mission. Also memorize as much as you in the MTC, like the 1st vision, the purpose and a few key scriptures (ex D&C 4, James 1:5, ect.). They will really help. And here is a tip, when you start a lesson tell people you are a missionary and your purpose is tp help people follow Christ through baptism and then invite the to be baptized if they feel it is true. You will shock your companions and teacher in the MTC, but it is how you invite people. Introduce, purpose, invite. If they say no, understand why not, then do suppose this problem was sovled then would you be baptized, if yes BAM you got it , if no cut. (this info helps treyson too.) lol so ya I am doing great, hope you dont get sick anymore mom, plus the cold phase here is pretty much gone. It is basically still super hot.  Anderson is doing better, really has grown up a lot, he says I am a lot like Dad. I have also learned why dad is the way he is. Brasilians... they really help you learn to listen, be patient, loving (all the time), and even more patient lol. Love you guys, Fique firme, sempre cresça.

 

se amo,

Elder Searle

Letter #40

6/11/12

Dear Family,

That is really cool that you guys got to go to LA and have lots of fun.  Thank you for keeping me updated and it has been a rough time for Anderson, because he really wants to be senior. THe problem is that the prez trusts brasilians more than americans sometimes even if the brasialin is not obeying the rules. I know no one is perfect but the prez also forgets a lot of missionaries. I know Grandpa tried everyday to learn everyone´s names and even Anderson´s prez in Salt Lake knew him and he was there only for 2 weeks. The Prez forgot me one time and told it to my face and I was in the office and saw him everyday. I don´t know I think he is ``dying`` and this whole dying thingreally pisses me off sometimes. We teach to continue until the end but even as missionaries for two years we can not do this. That is what I call wrong and the PRez hasn´t been a very good example.

So that is me complaning for the day. We got to watch the Manaso Temple get dedicated and it was really cool. Elder Uthdorf dedicated the temple. And we almost had a baptism but it fell through but we have a few oportunites next week so I am still working :). Carlaile is really cool he has a year and is kinda like Elder MUniz and Farely put together but at the sametime his own person. I think the blessins are finally coming and Carlaile and I will baptize a ton of people here.The other Elder, de freitas, is 22 years old same time as us and doesn´t know how to take care of himself. It makes me face palm sometimes. Last night we stayed somewhere else because for P-day we hiked a montain and then came home to a destroyed house. They are no where to be found, probably at the center or office exploring. THey also used a lot of our food and now we are short on food and I have been using my card becasue of this. But money will come in a couple of days so I should hold out. I finally feel exhauseted not just tired and it´s good. I sleep hard at night. Most of my dreams now are only about Brasil and not home so I guess thats good.

That would be intresting to work with spencer because tons of people from japan live here and I actually thought about it a little bit when he recieved his call. Well at least I could go on a trip to Japan and he can translate. lol. this week got ba little cold but is is hot again just like AZ. So ya not missing too much. Love you all, enjoy the summer.

se amo

Elder Searle.

Letter #39

6/4/12

Dear Family,

I am doing great, have a new companion, a brasilian, Elder Caralie ( I think), who only has a year so at least I won´t be killing him. I hear he is kinda de boa, meaning really relaxed and somewhat lazy. So I guess I just need to take over and get these baptisms myself. So We have a few possiblities next week but really depends on the investigators fulfilling their commitments.But I may baptize 3 men this transfer, which is huge. Anderson is not happy becasue he isn´t senior and he is companions with a brasilain who has the same time as us. He really hates the Prez. At least I got him to stay and not leave the mission. but I don´t know how this transfer will go. I explianed that this mission is the weakest in brasil and it will probably have to be our group to change that. HE said he was just one person, but I said fine but I am going to do it with you or without, but it will be a lot easier with you. He still not happy but staying until the new prez. I just got to the part were Almuque smashed on everybady and zeerom. ( don´t know how to spell their names in English) but it was pretty good. Too many people here in Brasil want to agrue and I realised I have to be firm and 100% certain I am doing the right thing, not being in the right, but doing it.

that is so cool you talk to Sister Gittings, and it would be awesome to know and maybe visit her if she come. Also to have the missionaries visit her brother. And if she would bring me stuff she would be an angel and a great blessing. Sometimes the members here in pedra 90 are to selfish and don´t even open their doors to use. I mean their hearts really but ya even to other members. THere is a lot of finger pointing and not enough people helping. So Anderson and I are going to try abd change it. I don´t know how but lately, evn going outside and walking, we find people, so hopefully it will be kinda like that. I think Anderson´s real problem is it is not like salt lake were they baptize a ton and work super hard and here not even the leaders are worthy. Its sad but they need a kid like him who knows how the system should be.

Anyways, excited to work again. The lady didn´t go to church but wilson never wanted to visit her again and I was with Anderson trying to get a roll going for this wek so ya. I will let you know when she gets in the water. ;). love you guys, keep working hard, Spencer, você é o cara ( you are the man). Treyson don´t get lazy, and Hannah keep being pretty but keep the boys away, they are evil. Tell Sister Gittings, her story was amazing and a true testimony of the power of God. Tell Everyone in the ward I miss them, wish them the best, and I love them.

se Amo

Elder Searle (son)

Letter #38

5/28/12

Dear Family,

 

Well 1st off happy belated birthday and Happy Memorial weekend to all of you guys too. Let Grandma and Grandpa Mangum I got their letter and I really enjoyed it. Glad to have your guys support too, it has been a hard transfer but only one more week and I have made it through. So glad to hear everyone will basically be busy during the Summer, espescially Spencer lol. And dad keep practicing the Portugues you will remember it all again. Actually this kid that is sitting next to me stareted speaking to me and I understood it and spoke back and he didn´t laugh at mine and he understood mine too. So it was really weird but yet so natural. English still has its bumps and Anderson keeps that in mind lol. Anyways he is doing better, had a rough time with Melo but I think we all learned to love him in some way. We also made gaggys like ever week ,so i AM OUT OF PEANUT BUTTER BUT IT WAS WOrth it just to get through the transfer. Anderson is having a lot of 1st on the mission, 1st break up, 1st dying and really fubecka missionary, and he is still here. He wants to go home but at the same time he doesn´t. I am at the point where I don´t think I am ever going home so just accept the fact I could be killing missionaries for my entire mission. Get ready for some fun Spencer lol, but always remember you can pray and read the scriptures, they help pass the time and reall strengthen you.

So Elder Wilson and I have an investigator who has already recieved an answer, a dream even, and still doesn´t feel ready to be baptized. We don´t know how to help understand that she needs to be because she wants to just wants to wait. And we explained to her already the importance of baptism, she has friends in the church, and even church talked about doing things based off the spirit now not later. So... I guess this week is to really push a date and hopefully this satureday and be confirmed sunday. So ya wish me luck and lots of prayes too.

I am really grateful for your guys emails and letters. They are very important too me and love it when you guys put humor and stories and it really brightens my week. Thank you dad for the little updates on sports, gives me a smile, and Mom your stories of the family are the best. I am currently in Alma chapter 9 and should be and chapter 11 or 12 tonight. I am a little behind becasue I had the cold or flu or something, but I am gettting better I don´t know why I keep getting sick. I try to drink lots of water and those vitamin pills and more fruits and vegitables but ya... maybe teaching me humlity and ask more blessing in my life and rely on others. I don´t do tha a lot. I really try to only rely on myself but Anderson has really taught me to rely on my leaders whenever possible because if I don´t want to keep killing missionaries they will help me ´´move up´´ in the mission. So hopefully I will be doing something else than killing on the mission.

Oh so I bought a coupe of nice futebol shirst and a hammock. So I am finally starting on my collection of stuff lol. So ya I guess I need a bigger suit case I won´t be able to bring 3 pillows whereever I go. You have to sacrifice so much on the mission like a pillow or two just to have some really cool stuff lol. Well I will let you guys know next week where I will be and who will be my new companion. Almost 9 months ( Elder Anderson does a good job counting lol he is kinda trunky cause of all the dying missionaries in the zone 7 or 8 missionaries will be dying... it is so exciting.)

Se amo

Elder Searle

Letter #37

5/21/12

Dear Family,

So I am doing great amd I will be working a lot more with Elder Anderson. Basically Elder Wilson has thrown in the towel and doesn´t want to work anymore because we got one baptism. So ya Elder Anderson and I will be getting a few more before the transfer ends.

I will try to download a ton of pictures too in the next couple weeks but the internet here is too slow ( won´t even allow me to see picture that I have already downloaded). So maybe if I go to central or somewhere else with better internet.

Ya dengue can be pretty serious. basically if you get it once the chance of you getting it again is higher and you could get the more serious one too. Even some American mission presidents send you home if you get it twice. And I try to use insect repelent before I sleep and duringthe harder days but is is really hard to avoid being bitten when you use to live next to a tire shop and the just let the old tires stack up next to our stair way. But I am trying to be better. Fans really help too.

Awesome that school is almost done and you guys are ready to sleep in lol. I can´t wait in a year and 4 months lol.

I really love that you have a testimony of prayer, in fact it is becasue of pray I have had very special experinces in my life before the mission as well as during. I really wish I have these experinces after the mission too. And Dad thank you about D&C 84. It basically explains why there are missionaries, members, leaders and the need of only one trye church. Funny thing is I taught a class on the people of the convant of the Lord. ( not sure if I translated it correctly but it is basically about the new and everlasting covenant.) It was really hard to teach cause I am not very fulent in the language yet and scared to death too, but many members helo the lesson go pretty smoothly. I explained that we needed these convenants in oder to continue in this life and return to HIm in the next. And with the priesthood we could make these covenants with the Lord in order to be saved and recieve help and guidance. It was really cool to teach (vey hard) but rewarding at the same time.

The reason I gave Spencer that comitment is becasue a profeta of the Lord has given that promise to everyone and I believe and know that if we follow the counsel of the profeta we can recieve those promissed blessings. Sometimes we sit back and want to see what happens to others but we usually end up thinking ``oh that was nice`` instead of really understanding the power of following the profeta. I know a lot of times I think oh that would be cool or awesome but I don´t do anything about it until it is almost too late and then I am trying to catch up rather than move forward and even lead. Too many of us like to sit back and watch and then if it works out follow the group. So Spencer do it now and you will be some what ahead. I mean it is very hard to be prepared for the field but you can always have a good start and somethime that can make the biggest difference in a race. So Good luck and go strong from the begging.

I love you all. Hope finals go well, hope everyone is getting along. Hope you guys don´t sleep in too much. Treyson hope camps go well, don´t get lazy lol. Hannah miss ya. Love you MOM and DAD.

Se amo

Elder Searle

Letter #36

5/14/12

Dear FAmily,

 

So it was awesome talking toall of you. I have a question what happened to al l the pictures I downloaded to the website last time. I don´t want to download moe if some how they all disapeared. Um... well the thing with ELder Wilson is he is n´t really good at speaking portugues, I mean he can let other know what he is trying to say but he has a very heavey american accent and sometimes other people understand me a whole lot better than him. I think he knows that but I don´t know, lately he stated throwing out stences and words at me ], you know inorder to bring me down and he does weird random stuff and if I don´t follow him then it is my fault. so ya I don´t know I just stayed queit for a long time and then one day he started to do it in front of an investigator, and I actually really got pissed at him and one day I just yellded at him and he yelled back but he pushed me and I was ready to throw a jaab at his throat but I didn´t ( I was super pissed too and I don´t know how I stopped myself but I did) basically elder wilson is a lot like me before the mission aand ya I think he really has a hard time talking to people in general. DBut now we are good. not tight but good, I think he is just ready to die. Anyways I think I will go on more splits with Anderson anyways just to make sure there is a buffer on somedays with wilson because HE doesn´t really look happy to be with me lol.

They have tons of apples here and pharmacies that is also basically on every corner too. So I should be good. I am not too bad besides the fact we walked in the rain back home for almost two hours lol so much for dit being hot and getting better. But I will be alright, drugged my self up today.

Well I am glad tom has taken my place at home aand still acting like a boy ( sorry mom). and I hope mothers day was amazing. Spencer don´t forget to raad the BOM in JApanesse. Uhm.. I don´t know what else to write ,I might go buy a hamock today or some futebol shirts or something.

Se amo

Elder Searle

Letter #35

5/7/12

Dear Family,

 

I will be able to talk to you on skype. I will call you guys after you guys get home from church. So be ready.

Sounds like everyone is slowing down for the summers and is going good. Wow lots of people getting married this year, that is pretty crazy. Wish them luck from me.

Thank you for the scriptures mom and yes I did get my package, well kinda. it is sitting at the zone leaders house so I haven´t gotten to open yet but I will.

So elder Wilson and I are doing alright. I think he thinks he speasks good portugues, but sometimes it is worse than mine. Like I am no pro at it yet but he doesn´t really do what he claims he has done in the past. So I think he is trying to go off what feels natural rather than practice grammer more often. I still have tons to learn as well as how to speak to people here how they speak. It is really complicaded. Anyways it is coming, I am starting to be able to read faster and know more words in one day ( I hope that sentence made sense). I am almost into alma, the biggest book than after that it should be a breeze to finish it.

Elder Anderson and Melo are having issues and part of it is Elder melo and the other par t is Elder Anderson learning how to work with it but he is not really use to a dying companion ( his 1st one). I am trying to help him stay psitive but some days I feel their companionship affecting me and ELder Wilson. It is one 4 more weeks so not a lot of time.

Hope you guys are doing great, nothing really new to tell here. Still trying to get 6 baptism for Elder Wilson (his goal) and they keep on falling. Looks like we just need to start over againg and find brand new people. I am sure it will work out. I have learned a lot on the mission and Spencer I really do encouarge you to read the BOM in your mission language before you go because there is a promise that comes by reading it in whatever language, you will become fluent in that language. I know it would be somewhat of a pain but read it out loud and if you can´t read all of it try and read it untill you get to the feild. I have seen many elders simple just read the BOM and they speak better afterwards. It is helping me alot. Love you all. ( Dad you should read it in portugues to remeber how to speak portugues again) and hope life goes well.

se amo

Elder Searle

Letter #34

4/30/12

Dear Family,

I am doing good. Elder Wilson loves to run in the morning so I do a lot of that. He also works but he admits if I didn´t keep a good tab on it he would enjoy sleepying in a chair and drink tereré. But he does want to end it well he just needs the motivation to keep going. We have a few possiblilties this coming week and then the next one but that is if they go to church, so we´ll see. I am learning a lot of words and grammer again, forgot some or didn´t practice them very well with Elder Farley but I am back up to speed for the most part. I am also in Mosiahs and been reading the BOM in portugues. What else... played futebol today that was fun and ya been working a lot.

So I hear there is a lot of juggling at home. Well i have learned one thing here on the mission is reading scriptures at night and in the morning really helps with that, don´t really know why but I am able to do a lot more in the day when I study. But keep the good work and good things will come out of it. And don´t stress out about the little things enjoy the little things instead. They are a lot harder to enjoy sometimes but they can really make the difference in the day. For example numbers. Numbers here on the mission suck and number of baptism is different but number of peole you teach and how many you teach and really can make a difference. You could teach 20 lessons a week but that doesn´t matter if you are not teaching like 10 people becasuse a lot of people will deline but they more you teach the more people you can find ready to be baptized. So they do count but they can be annoying and really hard to juggle.

Well I do hope finals come out alright and they will if you guys are trying your best . Hope mom you are doing well and not stressing out and juggling too much yourself. THat is cool to hear about the new class dad will be taking, might learn a few things when I get back. Brasilians don´t know how to budget money so it is always funny to hear them say where did you get that money? Oh Dad what is your team from brazil and have you ever tried tereré?

Se amo

Elder Searle

Letter #33

04/23/12

Dear Family,

So we got one more baptism and it was an 8 year old girl how wanted to be baptized very badly. Her brother was baptized but stop going to church and the mom is going to be dificult cause she lives alone and works on the weekends. But it was nice to end Elder Farley´s misson on a bang. I got to baptise the little girl so that was cool.

My new companion will be ... an american also lol. And he too will be dying. His name is ELder Wilson and I kinda know him. I know he is super trunky so it maybe harder to get him to work but you never know. I will be the only one staying in the house. I was living with 3 other missionaries. Elder oliveria got his call to São Paulo, he was doing a little traing thing here in Pedra 90. Elder lira, his companion, will be following him back home to rondonoplis. So ya I will probably have to show we everything is, yay... Anyways I am doing well, I was super sick but doing a lot better. Sad to see elder Farely leave. HE was the best companion I ever had andI learned tons from him. HE also helped me get a ton of very most likely baptism nthis week too, as well as , Elder LIra and Oliveira.

Hope you all are doing well. Should get my package today if it came and I am super excited for it. Oh ELder Anderson and I will be living in the same house, he was my 1st companion in the MTC. So that is awesome. He too will be killing someone. So ya I stil have the most kills like HAlo. lol THat last part was for Spencer And Treyson. Let me know when Spencer willl be going to the MTC so I can send him some letters and pics.

Love you all.

Elder Searle.

Letter #32

04/16/12

Dear Family,

 

Awesome to hear that the play went awesome, wish I was there to see it. And it will be fun to see the family in a year and 5 months. It sounds pretty cool to live so close together. Glad to hear also you are going to a lot of different temples too. I really want to do that when I get back especially since there isn´t a temple here. but one day.  I am rocking it here well at least enjoying it with Elder Farely. He dies this Sunday and it will be very sad to see him go. We have lived in the same house for 5 months and it will be a little weird without him. But he taught me a lot of stuff on the mission. He has been one of the best companions I have ever had on the mission and I hope that it stays like that with the rest. I had liver yesterday too so that was new and I love tereré ( the grass drink thingy). We almost had another baptism but André is scared that his gRANDMA will stop talking to him and he wants to wait until he is 18 so he doesn´t have to ask permission. We tried to help him understand that one way aor another she will find out but who know maybe I will get to come back and baptize him when he turns 18 lol. We meet a lot of good poeple but the problem is they are not given a 100 percent on searching for an answer for themselves. We did meet a little girl (8 years olod) aaand she wants to be baptized but the mom was nit sure she understood the importance. we aare going to help0 the mom aunderstand why, and baptize her too.

 

Elder Farley is going to do a lot of shopping today. I going to tag along. the a button on the key board is super sensitive. English gets really hard to spell every day. Plus I feel more tired every day too. Feels like sometimes like ther is too much to do and not enough time to do it all. But spmehow we go where we are needed. It is really weird lol. Miss you all. hope all is going well.

 

Se amo

Elder Searle

Letter #31

04/09/12

Dear Family,

 

I am doing good. Pedra 90 is rual ( there isn´t even a bank) and lots of dirt roads but is is quite and the people are nice. We baptized a 8 year old boy on wensday and was comfirmed on sunday. Normally I would be agaimst it but i think it will greatly encourge the parents to get married legally. Seen toms of crazy looking spiders and a pit bull weiner dog but that is about it. I have eaten this stuff that is basically fried flour and bananas and it is reaally good. Had chiken hearts too, they weren´t too bad. that is really about it. oh and the grass drink thingy is good too ( you drink it in a gumpa).

 

Gald to hear everyonme is doing well and they are having a good time. That isa really cool to hear about casey and zach. Miss those guys but glad they are all going on a mission. Hannah you keep on running and getting back up and you will run faster than everybody, that is a promise. Spencer is going to be a good companion.

 

ThaNK you for sending the box, I will tell you when I get it.

 

Elder Farely has done a good job working hard, sometimes we are a lottle lazy in the morning but we are going to change that this week. He has been teaching me a lot on how to sound more brasilian and a lot of people say I sound really good. Some people think elder farley is from são paulo.

 

Love you all HAppy easter

Elder Searle

PS  ya I saw holy week and it is more like during the jewish days where people try to show off more, like buy more fish or have a bigger palm leaf. I am starting to read the BOM from the start so lets see of I can catch up.

Letter #30

04/02/12

Happy Birthday para Pai

Letter #29

04/02/12

Dear Family,

Ya well now I am in perda 90 it still in Cuiabá but in a different area and I guess an lot of missionaries spend alot of time there ( batizes a lot). I am with Elder Farely and we had the same dad which I killed and he will be my fourth victim, but he is cool just like Elder Muniz. We already had marked a batism and there are some cool members here, however I am learing the church in general here on my mission is very weak. part of the problem is missionaries in the past just baptizing childeren and the ward in general doesn´t get enough families but at the same time there are tons or menos activos and I have seen the home teaching results and there basically isn´t any. But some members do try which is good to see the that the church will at least not fall away in those areas.

Conference was interesting. They had an English room but it didn´t work so I listened to it in Portugues and taht was a lot harder than I thought. So I didn´t quite get a whole lot out of it but that is ok I got what I needed.. I think lol.

I just finished playing some basketball and a game with a soccer ball but is not futebol lol. We are not allowed to play soccer so we made up a game. Glad to hear trey is doing awesome and Hannah being amazing as always ( spiritually at least). And that is so cool to know that there are always something in the temple for us. I remember the 2nd in the temple and some old man came toward me and asked where I went on a mission and of course I hadn´t yet but I was going to Brasil and he talked about how he was the First of the 2nd group to go. So that is really exciting for Spencer. I wish I was there.

I am not too worried about the winter unless I go to the south and if I get could I will just buy something here. Can´t really think of anything to get me. but the pictures will mean a lot.

Well Elder Farely and I are getting along and I am learing a lot about the little things to help me speak better. He is a little trunky and dying but he wants to go all out, just like Muniz. I am almost 7 months in the mission too so I should be able to help even more than in the past. Miss you all ang hope school ends amazing and all is well.

se amo

Elder Searle

Letter #28

03/26/12

Dear Family

Well I am not inthe office anymre and I am not companions with Elder Britto. ( FYI I actually did nt recieve the call to bethe secatary, only went there because my companion died half way through thetransfer and theprezadmitted he forgot to change me. Explains why he was always so shockedto see me in the office. ) I am with Elder Farely my ``older brother`` (we had the same dad) and we lived inthe same house for 4 months. He will be dying in 4 weeks too. LOL I guess I will kill about everyoneon themission field. He will be my 4th victim so ya I expecting it to befun, yet hard causewell he is trunky. I hope this helps me speak better in Portugues rather than hurt it but knowing Elder Farley he will keep that in check. I did enjoying learning about the office but it was hard not having a workable companion ( he worked jsut didn´t work with me) and not havinga regular scheduel. But I learned a few things, do what you think andfeel is right, don´t let the seniortell you differently, especially if he isn´t obeying the rules, just keep working anf the same time try to love your companion and those you teach. I dont know how somethings worked but they did.

So ya hope trey is having fun in volleyball and kicking butt. Hannah just needs to enjoy life, lol she is better suited that way, plus she can focuson getting an edge in high school if she really loves doing it. Spencer I would learn as much as you can about Japanesses and find a book that is called japanesses for dummies. It will really help you. Also I would study andmemorizescriptures you like. Iknow we should memorize the masteries but it is always easier to start with the ones we like and they oftenmean more when weshare them withother people. ( also I would worry less excatly what it says and more where it is.) Hope you redoing great mom and youare staying strong, I will be back in a yearand 6 months. Dad don´t stress out too much you will get sick,cause that is how I have felt in the office sick, I need to go domore contactsI guys  helps me feel like I am doing work which Elder BRitto has 9 new investiagtors so he has plenty to do there. LOve you all

Elder Searle

Letter #27

03/19/12

Dear Family,
Well it looks like I will be staying in the office for another 5 weeks...ya. My companion, Elder Britto... well lets just say in some ways he is better than Elder Lima was and some ways he is worst and a lot of ways they are the same. I actually really not happy about being with him because, well he is really lazy and he is the senior and yet wants to be babied and at the same time feel higher I guess I don´t know how to explain it but basically he sends me on a lot of splits so ya I haven´t really had a chance to get to know the area. But I guess I have to work through it. The mission itself is a lot bigger mess than I thought. Most of the Brazilians do not follow the rules at all and yet their allowed to do what they want. There are a few that do follow the rules but everyone hates them, it is very said.
Anyways besides that it is a lot of fun to be in the office when I get to work. Most of the time Elder Britto does it all so I do nothing. I do a lot of studying. I also don´t get to speak, basically any English so the language I guess will be come more natural. So that's good. That is awesome Spencer is going to Japan. I recommended to try to find a book called Japaneses for dummies. I have one for portugues and it has helped a lot just with understanding, especially the slang here. Uhmm... I can´t think of what else. Maybe anything that he can buy there he probably should by there and the garments... I really like dri lux. Suit pants are holding up ( I don´t wear them that much here). I would try buy a back pack that isn´t huge but has plenty of pockets but at the same time can be used to pack stuff in it. Also bring pictures of the family.
I really want peanut butter and starburts jelly beans (Bashas Market), Resses, Pictures, granola ( or oatmeal), I think thats it.
Hope all you are having a fun time in the states ans enjoying life.

Thank you guys for your support, love you all.
Elder Searle

Letter #26

03/12/12

Dear my family,
Well I did get transfered to the main office of the mission. . . yay. . . Well it is kinda of fun but ya I get to makes lots of phone calls, so if I haven´t been speaking enough now I am. I am still in Cuiaba and I am with Elder Britto who lived in my first area when I arrived to the field. He is a true Brasilian (likes to sleep in) but we do work. I don´t know excatly what is going on, like besides the office area i don´t know which investigators are more important or what lesson some have been taught. It looks like he has a lot of moles (softies, people who are really not going to follow their commitments) but hey at least we are teaching and I could make a difference. I do however speak a little bit more than I did in my first area, but still hard to conversate with people when the subject really my cup of tea. I try to at least follow the subject but i don´t know I was the same in america too. I just don´t talk a whole lot, probably should change that a little. I do understand basically the entire conversation and could easily add in my two cents, like I normally do anyways but ya I am doing good is basically what I am saying.

Thats cool treyson got his patriarchal blessing. He should definitely read it a lot, it will be great worth to him. I do have my blessing, even got a lamented one while at provo and it is small enough to put in my scriptures. Don´t know where the other one is at home. Spencer I am super excited for you and I can´t wait to hear the news myself. Hope all the kids do a ``sparkling`` job cleaning their rooms.

Awesome to hear someone is going back to church, sometimes it is a lot harder to do than most people think. Especially when people know you left in the first place. Speaking of packages, I really miss peanut butter but I am hoping to go to the south and buy the stuff their. candy is always accepted, I pictures of the family would be good. Everyone asks to see pictures of my family and I kinda look like a lost puppy sometimes cause I don´t have any and they go like don´t you love your family lol.

well yesterday was testimoning meeting so I guess I will share mine:
Eu sei que Deus é nosso Pai eterno e Ele nos ama. Eu sei que Jesus Cristo é salvador e morreu por nos. Essa irgreja é a Igreja de Jesus Cristo e restraurado atraves Joseph Smith, quem foi um profeta de Deus. Eu sei que Thomas S. monson é um profeta de Deus e comincar com Ele. Em o nome de Jesus Cristo, Amen

Love you guys
se amo
Elder Searle

Letter #25

03/05/12

Dear Family,

Well this week kinda sucked. Elder Lima was a total fubeca this week and did practically nothing. But we almost baptized someone again this week, they didn´t show up to their baptism. I will be transfered because Elder Lima dies today, but there is still two more weeks to the transfer so I could go some where else. I will be going to Cuiaba, basically centro and I have almosted stayed in Cristo rei, Vazae grande for 4 months. That is a long time. But it was a going living start and I did learn a lot even with Elder Lima who didn´t really want to do anything. I will be wiht ELder Britto who was in the same area as me last transfer but he was with Elder Farely. Elder Farely will die next transfer so it will be sad to see him go. I am half way done with Jesus the Cristo which is an awesome book. I am learning a lot about the parables used in the bible and what they actually mean and hoe to apply them. I am also in chapter 31 of 2nd Né and it has really helped me teach investigators importance of baptism fe e small simple steps, a lot of the time we look a baptism as a gaint step, but in reality it is a simple opening of a door and slighty point our foot forward towards God. The hard part for investigators is the fact is they are facing in a whole new direction and they cannot see the end like we can. To them it is the drak mist in Lehi´s dream and we are trying to guide toward that bright tree of life. The hard part is making sure they take small steps toward that tree and always lifting them back up becasue it is vey difficult to see when it is dark and our eyes are blind. For the gospel does make us blind and unsure so that we may prove our faith and show God we really do want to follow him nad then when we have faith not just believe and do but truely realiy on him he heals us and opens our minds ears and hearts to greater things and we see the end we see the change and we want to continue to move forward. I learned a lot how Jesus taught and taught men that they may follow blindly and unsure so they can experience for themselves the trurth not just follow and then abondon when the work becomes dificult.

Well if you guys can´t tell my english is pretty bad and I guess, acording to Elder Farely, it will get worse but that is ok. Glad to hear trey is still being a beast, keep it up dawg. Spencer you are going to be an awesome missionary and make sure you tell you senior/dad how to really do work, that is if he is dying becsuae when missionaries die sometimes they don´t want to do anything but go home casue they are trunky. hannah you will get better just got to keep practicing and you will be amazing in my eyes just like your bros. You can do anything if you really have the desire and put forth the work, and if you don´t have a desire but would like one develope a desire through hard work and at least you will be proud of your best cause that is all that matters to God. Even in sports God will bless you if you put the effort into it. Mom I hope you are doing very well, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Don´t stress about life to much and always set a time for yourself even 5 min helps. Dad Thanks for your great wisdom. I do take all of it and I think I understand what it was like on your mission where fubecas did nothing but be trunky. I probably would have done what you did and have them work but 1st I needed to learn how to be a senior and work, plan, and lead; It is hard and stressful but I feel different then I did at the beginning. It´s less follow and more do and feel. Feeling is the tricky part but I learn how to more really and just act on whatever comes to my mind and feelings. Sometimes I have no idea what I am saying but they do and it helps. So thank you all for your support and I pray for your safety and health. 

SE AMO

Elder Searle

Letter #24

2/27/12

Dear Family,

The weather isn´t too bad, just super humid and rains a lot which sometimes makes it more humid and feels hotter.  I have seen tons of crazy looking bugs and snakes but haven´t seen anything outside of the zoo. I went to a zoo with elder Muniz and saw some cool stuff. (took lots of pics). I have eaten a lot of fruit here and I just don´t every remember their names but their not too bad. I have a lot of drunk people come up to me and ask me for money and I should help them because I am a man of God and I tell them so are you, everyone is a child of God and he will helps us if you listen to our message. Some of them get excited and hug you others just look at you confused.  It seems a lot of Brasilains here wake up drunk, drink in the moring, afternoon, and night, and they always smell like they are wasted. It doesn´t feel all that great getting a hug from a drunk person. Girls like to hiss at us especially when thay are drunk. I dunked on a brasilian that was 6´8`` last week, it was awesome. I am drawing still on P-day. I am also studing a lot of Jesus the Christ and revelations. Which are pretty sweet. Elder Lima dies next week so I will either get a new companion here or move and get a new comapnion or have a trio here, Don´t know what will happen. My new president will be an American but by that time I should be able to speak português pretty well. Oh and We were going to have 3 baptisms this week but they all fell through. 2 of them want more time, the other guy didn´t show up tho church and ya Elder Lima hasn´t quite done the best job, he has done good bu not the best.

Well I pray for all of you and I hope dada has some students. Hope Spencer can some how not do homework on Sunday and Treyson will be a beast. Glad to hear Hannah is doing great and being herself, I love her letters.

Love you all

Elder Searle

Letter #23

2/20/12

Dear Family,

I am doing awesome and learning a lot about the Savior´s life. I have been reading Jesus the Christ and has been very interresting learning all the symbolism that Jesus taught and how much he taught and did. Elder Lima knows a lot about the Bible, he is a convert ( for only 5 years) and the only one in his family. So learning more about the story´s of Jesus helps when he is talking becuase he talks a lot about the 4 Gospels. Our investigators are progressing, well 3 of them and we are working very hard to have them feel ready for baptism. That seems to be the hardest part is helping people build a desire to be baptized rather than dragging them.  We also had to cut a few becuase they stopped progressing and don´t really have a desire they are what we call mole in Brasil. I am trying everyday to learn how to ask new and better questions and how to apply the gospel to others. I learn a lot from the odler missionaries. Glad to hear everyone is busy. And the best thing while we are busy is to always try to remember Him. I find that sometimes to be difficult when it is pouring rain and noone seems to be home. That is awesome trey will be starting and he is doing awesome. Keep Beasting it up!!!

Never allow yourself to be satistfied. Always try to put a hole in that floor as well as good placement, bu you already know all that so just be awesome. Well I think spencer will be sent to the moon on his mission. So that is number one, then the lost city of Atlantis and fianlly bermuda triangle. (Really, Japan, France, or Kanas).

Hey Hannah,

Glad to hear my tie got back to America and you will be trying out for track. Miss you!

Love You all!!!

Elder Searle

Letter #22

Dear family,

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Wow thats crzy that Az is 100 years old. I´m sure when I get back I´ll want to check out a few places. I will try to print up Grandpa´s letter and read it. Thank you very much for forwarding it. Thats so awesome that Treyson made Varsity. I knew he would because he is a beast. Trey now all you have to learn is how to put a hole into the ground lolol. Spencer That is so cool that you are preparing for a mission. At first it is hard but as you work here and work hard not just go through the mission but allow the mission to go through, by meeting, talking with people, and seeing a change in their lives you don´t want to go home because you realize the church is true. It is like seeing a child grow up an you love them and want to take more care of them and see them happy. It is hard to cut people sometimes because you are like ,``they are soo close``. But the mission so far has been super  hard but super rewarding. There is no way I can be super tired and happy at the same time.  Wow thats scary and exciting to hear baout Granpa ellsworth. I hope all is well and he will recover quickly. I also hope he goes to church because it will definetly make his life only better.  Ya didn´t go to that meeting but maybe they have it set up a little differently here Idk. Ya if the parents understand the importance of the gospel they are more willing to allow them to go to church and even listen a little themselves.

I am doing very well. I have a new companion Elder Lima. He will be dying in 3 weeks (ending his mission) so I will get another companion before the week is over. But he is pretty crazy and wants to learn English and be a teacher. He loves math and physics. I also drew a picture for him and is back up plan when he gets back.Stayed in the same area which is good because we have tons of work that needs to be done here. I did sent the tie and hopefully it gets there soon. Clothes and shoes are doing great. I take good care of them. I am working super hard and enjoying it here, even though it smells pretty bad.

SE AMO!

Elder Searle

Letter #21

Dear family Mom, dad, Spencer, Treyson, and Hannah,

Well I am doing bom demais, or awesome. I have learned a lot from Elder Muniz and now he is already leaving for home. I am going to miss him. We almost ended his mission on a high note, a baptism. But Junior bailed on us on Sunday and we can´t get a hold of him ever since. He is ready just I think nervous or may have fallen a little. I don´t know what happened but we will get him in the water. So I get a new companion and I won´t know who until he comes tonight. So ya I kinda have to be the senior for this week, yay... I actually should be excited cause it will force me to talk more  and not just answer questions or talk through Muniz. Don´t get me wrong I understand a lot. Most of the time I can understand an entire conversation but it is difficult for others to completely understand me. Part of the problem is some of them go o you are an American, you don´t speak or understand, which is not true that just don´t want to try and understand me. But I try to talk and sound like I know what I am doing. I have already taught a lesson with just an investigator and I so I think I will just be fine. The slang is what really gets me but thanks to Elder Farley I have learned a lot in order to understand. so ya basically I have been super busy these last few weeks and so far actually have been the fastest weeks of my mission. So it is exciting cause sometimes it feels like I not really doing anything but teaching and people actually come to church or receive and answer. It really weird cause most of the time it is like oh sorry I was tired, or I worked late or I forgot. Idk I feel I am being blessed a lot more than I deserve sometime but hey I love being here, it is weird and difficult but i love it here. I am starting to forget how somethings taste, sound ,and look in the US. I hope that is a good thing. That is exciting to hear about Spencer and the rest of the guys. Spencer you will love your mission so the best advice I can give you is read and pray as much as possible and I know the Lord will bless you with great knowledge. Trey keep playing hard and enjoy it. That is cool that you want to do track Hannah, it will be a lot of fun. Love you Dad and Mom.

Então muito brigado por suas oracões e cartas. Eu sinto amor de vocés. 

Elder Searle

Letter #20

1/30/12

Dear family,
Thank you for the letters and the updates. They really put a smile on my face. Glad to hear about Spencer, Zach and Chris. And I will probably show how a real missionary teaches when I get back. lol. It is a lot different teaching in the field then practicing. you try with all your heart to teach an investigator but in reality the real thing is a whole different level. There is so many different mixture of emotions and the spirit is so strong and you just want to stuff the gospel down that persons throat. but you have to do everything slowly in order to understand what that person needs. What doctrine will actually help them, cause all the doctrine will help them but there is always one that they need to hear at that time and that is the real trick to missionary work. How to teach people and not just lessons. You really learn to go to heaven and seek questions in order to help that person feel your love and desire to help them. And when you actually allow the spirit to do his job something beautiful happens. You get a baptism, you save a soul. And you happiness is something far greater than you can ever imagine and your love even increases to a whole new level. And the funny part is I don´t even understand every word that comes out of these people mouths but i love them and want to understand them. I am getting better everyday and Elder Muniz has done a great job helping me. I feel your guy´s prays for me and thank you. I really feel better when I know I have a family supporting me everyday. Love you guys and miss you all.
Elder Richard Scott Searle

Letter #19

1/23/12

Dear Family,
Ya missionary wark is warki but you can´t help but be happy and have a good time , that is if you are actually trying to work. Elder Muniz only has two weeks left, so in two weeks I will have a new companion. I was sick ( and maybe still am) for the last 3 days. Had a fever of 102 but I am doing better.  We meet some new people, a few are friends with people in the ward, and may have a date with the coming week. Understanding gets better everyday, not so much as the talking but I understand a lot more especially slang. It is kinda weird, if you speak formal Portuguese they don´t always understand you, but if you speak slang they think you speak perfect. So ya it is hard to learn a language only to have to relearn it. But is is all good.  Hope Spencer passes too. and that is an awesome story about Treyson. I really can´t believe he said that. So today Elder Muniz wanted to make pipas (kites) and so we are going to make like 6 for an investigator, he is like 8. But I feel like Elder Muniz will keep 1... or 2... or even 3 for himself until he leaves. O ya Saturday was fun. I got to go on a 4 hour bus ride to another city because we have two missionaries that our in our district living there. And it was pretty awesome except I was super sick and wasn´t total there but there was a baptism and then we didn´t get to leave for home until 12 45 at night. so yay by the time we got home it was 6 in the morning and so I basically got no sleep for Sunday morning, but it was still fun. The two attachments are about my hair cut.
Love you all and hope everything is super.
Love-
Elder Searle

Letter #18

1/16/12

Dear Family,
I am already done with 4 months and have survived 2 months in Brazil. YAY! I am starting to make connections with the language and it is starting to make sense, a little bit. Sometimes it feels like English when I talk with Elder Muniz. So ya I tried to download all the pics but it takes for ever so iy may take a couple of weeks to get them all downloaded. Oh and I can´t be logined in on my email account and yours at the same time, it is some security thing with the computer.  I will try to send my tie sometime today and I don´t know when it will get there.  I should be fine with money. I wrote Tony a letter and I don´t know if it helped, never heard from him.  Glad to see Dad finally got a teaching opportunity and he is having fun with his phone.  I have recovered from volleyball and I took great care of myself because I didn´t even peel, that much lol. And I am definitely dark now.  That's cool Chris, Zach, and Spencer are attending temple prep.  I would ask them to actually stop and ponder about the temple and what it mans to them. There is no right or wrong answer but the temple for me is very special because of what it reminds me. Like why I am here and what I have already done. Especially now that I can´t go for two years. Hope Sister Lewis will get better and that is pretty cool to hear about the only baptismal font.  We had another baptism. Kess Jones lol, he was baptized Sunday and he is 17 almost 18. He wants me to baptize his sister. Hopefully We will have another one next week, so thank you for your guy prays. Yup so nothing really else new here, I teach, contact, teach, wait, teach, contact, sleep and then basically do it all over again but it is a lot of fun to see people grow and understand. You definitely can see the spirit at work in some people´s lives and it is amazing.
Love you all
Elder Searle

Letter #17

1/17/12

Hey Family,

You guys are awesome. I got your package and letters. Thank you very much. I have been missing skittles and starburts for a while ( hadn´t had them for about 2 months lol). Anyways I got the letters from sister Axeman and Durbin and thank them a ton. I played volleyball today and now I am super red. I also able to log in on the account for the pictures. So hopefully I will upload them today. Lets see, We have one person on date for baptism and he asked me to baptise him. His name is Kess Jones. His kinds of strange but he likes to talk to me even though I don´t understand anything he says half of the time. He speaks a lot of slang. We had a ton of investigators this Sunday. Thank you for the prays and please keep praying for them. Arleide e Assil are still struggling but the progress is slow and may take another week or two to help them stay solid. I am learning you can´t push people or expect them to change. They have to want to change and that desire is hard to keep firm in others hearts especially when you don´t quite understand everything.  Entao eu estou bom. Elder Farely, outro americano é chato as vezes por que ele sempre falia isso, voce precisa falar Portugues mais. Entao eu sei mas todo mundo falaram isso e eu nao goste.  Eu quero falar mas dificil falar com outros quando eu nao entenda. So that part was to help dad with Portugues but yay. Learning another language can be annoying when everyone tells you, you do´t talk enough. I explain, in portugues why and then they kinda are shocked because I spoke a lot of portugues to them and then they realize oh maybe I should try to ask quetion about him inorder to either help or understand him better. Mas pode ser. (whatever) I will learn very soon and I am more confident reading, and taking the lead during lessons. So I will be ready when elder Muniz leaves. Yay so thank you Hannah for the pics and letter. I greatly enjoyed it. Thank you trey too. Hope volleyball gets better. Hope Spencer is working hard ;). Love you mom and glad you are doing well. Hope Dad is doing amazing as well. Pray for all of you and love you all. (oh by the way I didn´t have a pic of the family until I got the package and it is probably the best part of it. Thank you very very much)

Elder Richard Scott Searle

Letter #16

1/2/12

Hi mom,

I am doing ok. Couple of days ago kinda started to hit a wall.  Like it is one thing not being able to speak well and understand and another to be told you don´t speak correctly and not enough.  So ya... I did a lot of praying and a lot of thinking. Elder Muniz said I was being triste but I had a lot on my mind and couldn´t answer him why at the time.  I just want to be at a level that I just haven´t reached yet and the hard part is the more I progress the higher I raise the bar on myself. The funny part too is Enlgish is starting to be harder to speak. So hopefully you guys can understand this email.  Well I am sure things are being busy their and you probably have a lot going on so don´t worry about the letters too much. I am I do want them but you don´t have to force yourselves to make time just for me. Ya I wished I could see my grandmas and grampas one more time too. I miss the family but I am starting to settle here. That is a funny story about the sister missionaries. 3 days ago we were going to teach Arleide not to seperate from her husband and explain that it is a sin and life would be haarder to raise two kids without him. She actually prayed about it and recieved an answer to marry him. He has actually agreed. Before he wasn´t really wanting to do it and we are also helping them, a lot.  So now all we have to do is try to have arleide come to church with her family, as well as her husband and get her husband on board to be baptized. Problem is he doesn´t want to give up his achool. but it was cool Arleide recieved the same answer as us.  Sometimes that mountain feels like a path like three days ago, it is steady and strait and other like rock climbing a giant cliff and you don´t know when you will get over it.  Thank you Dad for the infomation about the pics and hopefully I will have time to upload them. Hope all is well and you had a great new year and always keep looking foward, you don´t want to be turn to a pilar of salt. (if you didn´t get that refrence I would go to the bible Book of Genesis chapters 11-14 and 19

Love from you son and brother,

Elder Searle

Letter #15

Hey family :D,

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.  So I already talked to you guys yesterday but today is p-day so I get to e-mail. Anyways today was my 1st transfer so I have survived 6 weeks here in Brasil. YAY! Now I just have to try and actually understand what people are saying. But with the Lord´s help I will be fine.  It was awesome being able to talk to you guys on skype and I can´t wait until the next time.  Well it sounds like things are moving there, slowly but surely. Basically the same here.  I am progressing slowly but surely. I told you guys I had 2 baptism yesterday and wore bishops tie. So I don´t know when I will be sending that but hopefully soon. I am just starting to get comfortable here.  But is has been a wild 6 weeks. Not knowing where you are, not knowing where you are going, and not knowing what people are talking about. Ya pretty exciting lol. Anyways Elder britto got transferred to the mission office. Elder Farley is going to be a dad(trainer). I am still with Elder Muniz. Elder Anderson my 1st companion in the mtc got transfered, his companion is going to be a zone leader.  And ya so not too much is new. right now we are in a threesome with elder farely until tomorrow or wed.

Love you all, hope for the best. And I am always praying for you guys.

Elder Searle

Letter #14

12/19/12

Dear Family,

 

Thank you so much for your prays and we finally have a date that is basically set in stone for Eduardo e Lena. Both will be married on the 23rd, then baptized on the 24 then confirmed 25. So my Christmas will be eventful.  Entao we will do a skype call on Christmas ( it will be 6 o clock here and 3 o clock where you guys are). Anyways we will probably do a test call some time this week to make sure everything works but make sure everyone is available around that time :). Thank you for the support dad and the info about basketball, I have been dying to know.  That will be cool to watch Blake and Griffin.  Too bad the suns are being the suns.  Anyways missionary work is definitely work.  We have been struggling with a few of our investigators and had to drop a few, which I don´t like but we may have two baptism this week, keep on praying.  I am understanding more everyday and even talking more, its hard trying to talk to people when you don´t know a lot. The president is having me learn 15 words a day, trying to do that as well as understand the grammar. It is basically old broken English, really old English. But the spirit has helped alot and I believe because the spirit I am able to understand more.  Well I have survived 5 weeks so far in the field. Who would have thought one person not understand a single word can survive.  Well still waiting on that account where I can send you guys pic (DAD) lol. I have a lot of pics for you guys. Couple of days ago it poured hard, real hard, the streets were flooded, I guess that is not normal in my area.  We also got to do a tour of the chapel in English. It was to help a Brasilian learn English.  Lets see... I played volleyball today, it was a lot of fun, had mission conference and it was basically a party because of natal. I don´t have a whole lot to write about this week, maybe Brasil is starting to feel normal idk. Well Still trying to work hard this week will be Crazy because I guess there will be a lot of splits and interviews for baptisms which will be good. Everyone in my group has a vista and we are basically in the same area just different zones.  My area is varzea grande, cristo rei. basically a river separates cuiaba and my city. it is kinda hard to describe exactly my area, I just know I am there lol. Well I am doing well, feel stronger, and Idk I just feel a lot happier this week maybe cause natal, baptism, or cause I will get to talk to you guys this coming week. Keep loving life, se amo.

Elder Richard Scott Searle

Letter #13

12/12/11

Dear Family,

Got your blue letter with snowmen on it. Thank you for the scriptures dad. The bat was alive and they put it on a tree outside our house. It was pretty small. I took pics of it. We might do skype for the phone call on Christmas ( very most likely). I had to wash my clothes by hand for 3 weeks and all the clothes are dried by hanging them up.  I only get a headache when I talk and listen in Portuguese and by the end of the day my brain feels like jello. I am learning about 15 new words each day. I don´t always remember them the next day but some words are starting to click and make sense. For example ficar has like 4 different meanings and almost always can be used in a sentence. Elder Muniz and I are getting along and he makes the mission a lot of fun and we work a lot too.  He has made teach a few message on my own during family night with members and Eduardo´s family. So I am slowly getting the language down. We had another missionary in my group get his vista and he is in my district. Technically anyone can email me I can only email family/extended family back.  So I don´t know what team I should be on here in Brasil. I am more leaning toward the Corthians but I want to know what team is dads. Well we should have 2 baptisms this week so please pray for them. We need all the help we can get. A lot of our investigators are bailing out on us.

Love you all

Elder Searle

Letter #12

12/5/12

I can´t think of nothing that I need or want at the moment because I am still a little overwhelmed here, but it is getting better and I don´t feel as home sick I as did before.  I also got your guys letter couple days ago from nov 17 and they really lifted me up so thank you. This week was better we almost taught 20 lessons, which was our goal, we were one short.  We have about 6 people "preparing" for baptism. They are having some issues either reading, attending  church, or praying.  I am starting to say things correctly and almost able to answer bigger questions lol. Elder Muniz has to remind members I only know simple Portuguese and don´t understand most of the words they are saying.  Present tense is almost normal, just have to learn the over  or 7 tenses. It also doens´t help that I am in the redneck area of Brasil and no one here speaks correctly, but I am trying my best to understand as much as I can. I want to write two stories Elder Bednar told when he was here. The 1st is about a tradition in the church. It is a game called guess what is in my head. The teacher asks question that he has an answer to already. He told us that this tradition is silly and only teaching acquires, there is no learning. For example he called on one missionary to stand, the missionary one was surprised and two became very nervous thinking at he would have to answer a question. Elder Bednar explained the missionary when called on has forgotten everything being taught as the fact that an apostle of the lord had called on him he even probably forgot his name and where he was.  We should not do this to our investigators. our answers do not matter, theirs do.

The other story is when he was in Germany. His 1st area was basically called Zion because they had a car, peanut butter (it was free), and the area was beautiful. then he got transferred to an area with no car, rained a lot, no peanut butter.  all he could do was think about the things he missed but that nigh prayed to heavenly father to help him remember the basics of being a missionary. He didn´t need to learn new things, just the simple basics. he then stated that the area flourished, he forgot the peanut butter, the car, the warm beautiful in his last area.  And he was happy. I am trying to do the same and so far I am happy, tired but happy. I have experienced horizontal rain, hot rather, investigators that stop investigating and the biggest headache in the world but some how I am happy.

Here are some 1st here

• I had something that was like coffee but wasn´t
• No washing machine for 3 weeks
• invited someone to prepare to be baptized after church
• Saw the entire congregation bear their testimony ( basically all of them)
• found a bat
• Got lost

The got lost part wasn´t that big of a deal he just didn´t know when to get off the bus.

Yes we walk everywhere expect district meeting. we ride in a cramped bus with a crazy driver.( Brazilians are crazy when it comes to driving). The phone call home, OK this is how it will work. I will call you guys from a members house on the p-day before Christmas and tell you guys to call this number at a certain time on Christmas. We even can do a test call that day to make sure it will work.

Well I love you all and wish the best for all. You guys are always in my prayers.

Ficam firme!

se-amo

Elder Searle

Letter #11

Sorry I have not kept up with the posting but I will make it a resolution this year.  So let's catch up.  I will post them in order dates will be on top.

11/28/11

Dear family,
Sorry not telling where I was serving. I am serving in Vandeza Grande, I believe. It is a city near Cuiaba. It is basically a swamp/bog and there is trash everywhere lol. It is basically the redneck area of Brasil and everyone here technically doesn´t speak correctly, thus why I have been confused sometimes when they speak.  P days are on Mondays and I am required to write to my family everyday, so I will be able to send letters once a week. I don´t know how they do the phone call thing and I will be sure to ask.  This week was pretty tough. A lot of our new investigators are not progressing and Eduardo and Leanne are not keeping all their commitments. They are planed to be married and baptized in 3 weeks, so we are hoping they will try a little harder and hopefully come to church the next couple of weeks.  We had two investigators actually come to church. They said they liked it and it was good. they also said they would read and pray. So hopefully we may have some progress there.  My head hurts everyday but sometime it feels like I am understanding more every day. I have a goal to learn 15 new words everyday and then read the LDM as well as practice speaking and understanding the lessons. Some days I feel really nervous but as soon as I start working I am just fine. God blesses me everyday and I try my best to speak and help the people. I not going to lie I miss home a lot but when I working I able to forget myself and just let the Holy Ghost do its job. Today I think I am giving a lesson in the Gospel Principles book. It is for family night for Eduardo´s family. So I going to be praying a lot today like everyday.  I have learned that the Book of Mormon is priceless to me and I love reading the scriptures, which I always have but I have gained a greater understanding of their power in my life. I have also come to understand that I need pray as well as I want to pray every moment I can. Its like wanting water everyday cause its so hot. Speaking of hot, I guess it gets pretty hot in dec to march/April so I guess this is nothing but its not too bad so far, it more like it sucks to be sticky and you feel like you are slowly baking, unlike AZ where you are roasting away. Well I love you all and pray that all you guys are being blessed and having a great time.
Elder Richard Scott Searle