This week was full of good stuff! We did two exchanges and were able to teach quite a bit. 

In the first exchange I worked with a brand new missionary named Elder Cook! He is super awesome and is having a great start to his mission. His trainer is Elder Soares, who was my companion in Janaúba. It was great to be with him. It reminded me of the start of my mission. The language is always a big challenge. Elder Cook is learning really fast though and I was able to give him some tips! We found a new family to teach on the exchange as well.

I also got to do an exchange with Elder Gregatto which was great! I was in his District in Divinópolis when he got to the mission. He is funny and a really good missionary. And of course, in both of the exchanges we ate açaí.

On Saturday a member named Antônio surprised us with an early Christmas present! He got us some shirts from his favorite soccer team, Galo. I will send a pic with us three! Brazillians are really crazy about soccer and he was happy that I would be a Galo fan from here on out.

This week we had a few disappointments with investigators, but we are already finding some new ones thankfully. We are teaching a lady named Luciana, who owns a little store by our house. She found out that her cousin is a member of the church and is showing quite a bit of interest! Also, we are teaching the family that Elder Cook and I found on the exchange. They are reading the Book of Mormon and progressing well.

I was also really happy to get some good news today. Two investigators were baptized in Janaúba! One is Farley, the husband of Eliane, who got baptized when i was there, and the other Josilane, who Elder Carvalho and I taught when I was there. It looks like the branch there will soon become a ward and I'm super excited!!

Well, other than that, I hope everyone has a wonderful week and a great start to the Christmas Season! Check out the church's new video for Christmas if you haven't already! It's so amazing. Love you guys!

Elder Searle

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Happy almost Thanksgiving!

This week was Stake Conference and it was super great! Elder Leal, a seventy of the church, came and spoke to us. He talked about getting to know Christ, opposed to knowing about Christ. It was really inspiring and made me reflect quite a bit. Our mission president spoke about the Prophet and told some cool stories about President Monson that I hadn't heard before!

This week we started English Class here. I forgot to take a picture, but it went really well. This week I will try to take a picture. Everyone thinks my companion is american too and really enjoyed the class!

We also did an exchange with one of the District Leaders in our Zone. It was great! I ended up almost getting lost because I'm still getting used to the new area. We found some new investigators though so that was good.

I have to be quick today since we are short on time. I'm fine and happy to be serving the Lord! I'll send some pictures. I love you guys! Have a wonderful week!

Elder Searle

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Good morning guys!

This week was interesting with the U.S. elections. It was full of people asking me what I thought about the new President and me trying to change the subject because politics never helped anyone's spiritual progression. Anyways, I'ts good to know that no matter what happens politically that the Lord is in control.

We visited a few perspective elders this week and had a rather humorous experience. The man thought we were both american and was convinced that the spirits of the dead Kennedy brothers had sent us to comfort him. He cried a lot as he recounted the story of President Kennedy's assassination and told us about his love for him and his brothers. I felt bad for him because he couldn't seem to stop crying. He affirmed that the Kennedy's were with us during that moment.

This weekend was good! Melissa was baptized on Saturday and it was super spiritual! She bore her testimony in the meeting and said that she became so much happier after she left the water. We are starting to work with her dad who I think also has a chance of joining the church. Melissa also made us dinner during the week. It was like a 4 course meal and I think I ate more than I ever have in my life. She cooks pretty well. Unfortunately, she went to travel Sunday morning really early, but has asked me to confirm her in the next sacrament meeting when she gets back.

Yesterday our ward mission leader, E. Volino, and I talked in sacrament meeting. I talked about preaching the gospel, my companion about member missionary work, and our ward mission leader basically put everyone in tears and with a new resolve to do missionary work. It was great.

Also, our bishop here got sick yesterday and wasn't able to come to church. We had a pretty cool experience because at the end of the day we both felt the need to visit him. When we got there he told us how no one in the ward had visited him. We were able to give him the sacrament and talk quite a bit. It was nice to see his spirits lifted. I know that the Holy Spirit really directs us where to go, what to say, and what to do.

I love you guys! Have a great week!!

Elder Searle

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Bad translation :)

Acai

Dinner with Melissa

Melissa's Baptism

Happy November!

Wow, 2016 is really flying by. It seems like yesterday was Christmas. Well, I don't have too much news, but it was a great week!

I went to my first leadership council on Tuesday. I learned a lot. President Fernandes really knows the scriptures well. He talked a lot about the new goals for the mission and how we are going to achieve them. It was a wonderful experience to see some missionaries I hadn't seen in a long time as well!

On Thursday I conducted our Zone Meeting, which went really well! It's funny, because all 3 of the missionaries in my first District in Janaúba are now in my Zone. We took a picture together for old times sake.

We have an investigator named Melissa who is really progressing well. We started teaching her my first week here and yesterday she came to church for the second time in a row! She wants to be baptized which is really helping her to progress. She treats us like kings whenever we visit her and is always making us food. Her testimony is strong and she is loving the church. I know she was prepared to hear the gospel.

Other than that, I will begin teaching English again next week. It should be a good experience as always. Oh, and I'm giving a talk in Sacrament Meeting next week. Apparently, the missionaries talk every month here. I am loving getting to know the members and people here and it's been a good first couple of week! I love you guys!

Elder Searle

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