Monday, June 26, 2017

My last email! :0

This morning I had my final interview with President Fernandes. It was a super great experience and I think I finally realized that my mission is coming to an end. Today we will do a family night with some of my converts and it should be great! Then tomorrow I will go through self-sufficiency class with the other missionaries that are going home and then on Wednesday I fly out! Crazy!!

This week was absolutely amazing. I really could not have created a better week to end my mission. We had two amazing exchanges and lots of people are progressing here. Yesterday was the best part of the week. It was Stake Conference and I felt the Spirit strongly during the meeting. Uilquer was sustained to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and right after the conference he asked me to perform the ordinance. It was the first time that I have ever conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood to someone and it was a very special moment. Uilqer and his wife Daniele have progressed so well since their baptism.

The sensation of going home is rather different than any other. I am so used to missionary life that it's going to be very strange for the first bit at home. I will surely miss the work and the amazing people here. I am forever grateful that Heavenly Father gave me the blessing and privilege of serving a full-time mission. I know that He loves me and blesses me according to my obedience. I know that my Redeemer lives and that he provides the means for me to receive a fulness of joy.

Thank you for the support and prayers! I love you.

Elder Searle
116982







Monday, June 19, 2017

It's my last week :0

My mission is going by so quickly. This past week we did three exchanges with some amazing missionaries. I got to be companions with E. Dedeco for a day again!! It was great. After I trained him he got transferred to be the executive secretary and has been in the same area for almost a year! I love working with him.

This week we will do two more exchanges and have the transfer meeting. I am excited to see who will take my place as the next assistant! And then we will have Stake Conference here! Two of the men I baptized, Uilquer and Genivaldo, will recieve the Melchezidek Priesthood at the Sunday session!! I am super duper excited.

I feel imensly grateful for all the experiences gained and lessons learned on my mission. Being a missionary is the hardest and most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life. There aren't words to explain the joy and love that I feel each day. I love missionary work and I know that there is no greater work than this. I thank the Lord for the privilege it is to represent Him.

I love you guys! Have a great week.

Elder Searle
125186





Monday, June 12, 2017

This week was amazing! Fernanda and Diogo were baptized and it was an amazing experience! They were a referal from a bishop in another ward of our stake. It was cool to teach them because we were able to teach with that bishop, our bishop, and some members of the stake presidency during the process.

Fernanda is a wedding dress maker and designer. She attends clients in her home and it was really interesting when she showed us the process. Diogo is her son, who is 9 years old. He is probably the smartest 9-year-old I have ever met. He retains knowledge really easily. He came to church yesterday with a white shirt and tie and told us that he wanted to be a missionary!

We also did two exchanges this week and for the first time I worked with a companion from Africa! He is from Cape Verde, which is a group of Islands between Africa and Brazil.

Uilquer and Genivaldo both passed the sacrament yesterday!! It was a really spiritual moment for me. They are great and progressing really well to receive the higher priesthood at the end of the month! :)

I love you guys!

Elder Searle
117252






Monday, June 5, 2017

Happy June!

This week was great. Two zone conferences, two exchanges and a lot of teaching. We were able to teach the rest of the missionary lessons to Fernanda and her son, Diogo. They are a true blessing.

Yesterday at church Genivaldo asked me to perform his priesthood ordination. I believe that it was the first time that I conferred the priesthood to someone. It was a wonderful experience. He and Uilquer will distribute the sacrament next Sunday! And they are already taking the classes to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood!

The zone conferences talked a lot about the Holy Ghost. I feel like my comprehension really grew in regard to this subject. I am grateful for my mission president and for him to have taught me so much about the gospel principles.

Have a wonderful week! I love you all.

Elder Searle
107260