This week was full of good stuff! We had a mission leadership council, did two exchanges, and had a miracle happen!

Actually two miracles happened. On Wednesday I found ou that I will extend my mission and stay another transfer! It really made me glad and gave me a new boost to work diligently. 

The other miracle happened on Thursday suring an exchange. We were trying to find someone to teach before lunch and out of nowhere this lady who was walking her dog calls us over and asks us what our work is. Turns out, she had been praying for a few weeks to be spiritually set free. We followed her to her apartment building and taught her the first lesson in the lobby. She was super receptive and said that it was an answer to her prayers. She was an answer to our prayers as well! Ufortunately she had to travel this last weekend, but she will go to church next Sunday. She wants to be baptized before she does a surgery on the 9th of May. Her name is Elenice.

I had the opportunity to speak at church yesterday, which was a good experience. I talked about faith, repentance, and baptism. I was tempted to invite all our investigators to be baptized during it.

This week we will have a few Zone Conferences. It should be a good time.

Love you guys!

Elder Searle

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Happy (late) Easter!

It was a good Easter week. I especially loved some of the talks in church. Our Stake Patriarch talked about resurrection and it was phenomenal. I would encourage everyone to go to mormon.org and check out the new videos that the church has put out about peace. Very inspiring.

Earlier in the week we ate lunch with that older lady who told me my face looks like a crying baby. During lunch she said that I look like an angel baby so I guess that's a little better.

We have been focusing on the same famliy who lives in our apartment building and they have progressed well. They are reading the Book of Mormon at a very good pace. We are also teaching a man named Ivan who is progressing well. He has been taught by missionaries for years, but it seems like now is the time for him. He has been pretty humbled during the last month. He lost his job, got really sick, and wants to change his life. These next couple of weeks will be crtical for his eternal progression as he is preparing for baptism now.

The transfer went smoothly. Except for when we got a call at 6AM from a Sister who took a taxi and had no money with her to pay. That was interesting to work out. The new missionaries seem really excited and lots of them are converts to the church!

We did another exchange! I worked with none other than my MTC companion- Elder Silfies!! It was great.

I also found out that 3 investigators in Pampulha that E. Barbosa and I found were baptized this week!! Jonas and Cleide, who were married in order to be baptized, and Ana who is a young woman that lives close byt the church. I will send a picture of them.

Have a wonderful week you guys! Love, 

Elder Searle

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Happy (early) Easter!

Our week was really good. On Thursday we had a meeting with President and it was a really spiritual experience for me. I know that President Fernandes is called of God and is truyly inspired to lead this mission.

Yesterday we called the missionaries for transfers. That was a cool experience! For the most part it was just making other missionaries happy with good news. Tomorrow is the day of craziness when everyone will be moving areas so that's going to be a little stressful, but also fun!

Yesterday Carlos and Cristiane's family finally came to church! They are the family that lives in the same apartment building as us. When we went walk with them to church they were already leaving to go! And they were all dressed up really well. Their ten-year-old daughter picked the very first pew closest to the pulpit to sit. They enjoyed the meetings and although they're a little hesitant to baptism still, they accepted to prepare for the 6th of May!

Other than that, we did another exchange this week! It was great. The only pictures I took this week were from the exchange and the activity we did in the church on Wednesday. Love you guys!

Elder Searle

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Happy General Conference!

This week was really great. I learned so much from General Conference and am excited to study the talks better this week. My companion and I always listen to a General Conference talk while getting ready in the morning and I'm exctied to have some new ones to listen to! I was especially touched by President Monson's talk on kindness and charity in the Priesthood Session and President Uchtdorf's talk on trading fear for love.

On Wednesday I had a shock. I looked in the mirror and saw a patch of white hairs on my head. I'm only 20 years old! Well at least I'm not going bald.. yet. I'll send some pictures. We plucked 10 of them out.

Wednesday we also did an exchange. It was great!

This week will meet with President to talk about transfers and then on Sunday night we call all the missionaries who were transfered! I've never done that before and I'm excited to see what it will be like.

I love you guys! Have a great week!

Elder Searle

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