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