Conference Cheer

Familia,

This week was rather swell. We got permission from Presidente to accompany Natanael (the young man who is leaving to serve in Brasilia in under 2 weeks) through the temple as he recieved his endowment, since he's the only member in his family. It was soooo amazing. I was amazed to realize and feel deeply once again the eternal importance of the temple, and why we do missionary work-- to help everyone we can get to recieve the marvellous blessings of the temple!

I was praying hard all week that I'd be able to understand the talks in General Conference because, well, we're in Brazil and they speak Portuguese here, and I'm not exactly fluent yet but really REALLY needed to have some questions answered by the words of our living prophet and apostles, I didn't expect my prayer to understand would be answered so overwhelmingly that I understood every single word perfectly, just like it was English.... because some nice person set up conference in a different room in English for us American missionaries haha! Not the answer to prayer I was expecting, but I'll take it. It was so fun, because the Sisters brought American candy and we got to watch and eat and be uplifted together. In the breaks, we got to tell each other jokes that we actually understood, and it felt so good to be with a group of people that understood each other....  I hope that conference for all of you was at least half of what it was for me. I was SO inspired and uplifted, I don't think I've ever come away so full and so excited to read all the talks in a month when they come out in the Liahona! (or Ensign, for all you wierdos in America). All of my questions were answered in the first talk of the first session by President Uchtdorf, (EVERYONE go watch or re-watch it) and the rest of the time additional answers just piled on and on. I know that we have Apostles and a Prophet, and that the Lord guides His church in these days just as much as He did anciently. God loves us, His children, and wants the our happiness now, and for eternity.

I love you!!!!!!

Elder Merrill

How we watched Elder Scott's funeral last week

One of our awesome investigators (by Elder Rodrigues) is moving :( But she's going to meet with the missionaries there and continue preparing to be baptized!

A poor photo of my recurring food baby (the picture doesn't do it the gross justice it deserves)

Natanael, Fernandinha, and her friend at the temple

Picture from under the water up, because why not if your camera is waterproof?

Horray for Conference in English! Sister Bundy, Sister Doyle, Elder Bush and I had the best setup

Got my hands on a selfie stick from another Elder 

The Zone leaders brought this strange-looking package, and I was so confused how it got here with just a note that had my name... Is the mail system getting more sophisticated?

...But then I opened it and found out it was from the absolute best cousin-in-law ever! Thank you Carlos!!!!!!