Milagres acontecem

Hey fam!

So this week was awesome! We were able to get lots done and I am absolutely pooped.

On Tuesday we spent the whole morning and afternoon planning our training and making the PowerPoint for the council with the Sister Leaders, which was super tiring but a great experience. I hate and love preppin for the councils because it is a ton of work but I end up learning a bunch more than those who receive the training. We talked about leadship as being a stewardship and the importance of ministering to other missionaries by elevating, inspiring and blessing them. I felt many things I need to be better at in my personal ministry. Every time the Lord gives us a calling, it's a chance to influence others for good, and we will surely be held accountable for how we handle the trust he gives us by how we bless those entrusted to our care.

Thursday was the day of service for everyone in the world (December 1st) and we had a great painting service project lined up, but on Wednesday the member called and said he'd already painted and that we didn't need to go anymore. -_- Good thing we had another project for Saturday morning which didn't fall through. Still counts, right?

Friday was the council and it was super good. It was amazing how our training went perfectly with Sister Silcox and President's, since he didn't give us a topic to talk about. We just prayed and went with what we felt was important for them to hear. I felt the spirit super strongly and was quite uplifted. But when we got home we collapsed and went to bed early. Drained.

On Saturday, our awesome bishop went to the cartório and was able to move the wedding date up for Cleide and Sérgio, so now bishop will perform the wedding on December 24, and Elder Vasconcelos is now able to be there! Woo!

This morning (yeah, p-day) we woke up early and went with Gustavo and Iris to the Bolivian consulate to get the documents they need to be married. I was going to escort them to make sure they didn't miss any important details, but right when we were entering behind the front desk the secretary dude yelled at me in spanish that it was "bolivians only!" Sorry. My bad. Chill bro. First time in my life in a Bolivian building, and got kicked out because I'm white. Anyways, they are so sweet and have such a strong desire to live the gospel, it was touching to see their gratitude for us helping start the process with them, and I was grateful everything went smoothly. Next week another document will be ready and then they'll have to go to the Federal Police to get another and then we'll be able to schedule their wedding at the cartorio and then it'll all be set... good thing our bishop is quite on top of things and knows people, so we'll see if we can resolve all of this within the month. I have faith it'll all work out.

I love you all!

Elder Merrill

Sometimes you get home and collapse on your bed and fall asleep without even taking off your bag...

Everyone who hasn't visited mormon.org and watched the Christmas video needs to repent and do so right now!​

In Liberdade today for p-day! It's like a Chinatown in São Paulo

A themed Bradesco bank!

Só na boa

Querida gente-

Posso só escrever em português para vocês? Seria bem mais fácil. Vocês precisam aprender mesmo para me entender quando chegar. ugh. Sometimes words are difficult. [Can I only write you in Portuguese? It would be much easier. You will need to learn to understand me when I arrive.]

So I'm tired. We did two divisions this week, and it helped us cover lots more ground lots more quickly. I passed one day with my dad, Elder Rodrigues! It was fun to teach together again, and to think that one year ago he left me in Cohab Juscelino. The next day I stayed with Elder Chalampuento, who had come about a month ago to do a division with me. 

We had a miracle this week! On Wednesday we were visiting a less active for the first time who hadn't had a missionary visit in 14 years when the member who was gonna give us lunch the next day called and said they wouldn't be able to feed us anymore. So I turned to the irmã and said "have you ever given lunch to the missionaries before?" She said yes, and I said, "would you like to have the opportunity again... tomorrow... to feed 4?" She accepted, and the next day we had an awesome lunch. Look how the Lord's timing is perfect. 

On Friday an exciting thing happened. We went to the cartório to mark a date for Cleide and Sergio's wedding! The soonest available was January 7, which is sad that Elder Vasconcelos won't be here for it, but he'll be able to Skype in from home. I'm so happy for them! It's amazing to see people taking the necessary steps to change their lives and accept the gospel. That's the joy of the mission. I love it.

I love you all!

Elder Merrill

P.S. Everyone who hasn't yet seen this year's Christmas video, it is PHENOMENAL and you all need to go watch it: https://www.mormon.org/christmas/light-the-world?play=hero

Last week we all color coordinated without meaning to!

I made chicken one day but it wasn't sufficiently dead... jumped right off of the counter and broke one of our plates....

Eu e meu Pai!

Família Cleide and Sérgio

Elder Chalampuento studying hard.... poor tired guy, I woke him up by pouring water on his face hahaha

New Transfer

Hello everyone!

This week went wonderfully! 

Elder Vasconcelos got to the office at about 10:30pm on Monday, and then President gave us a ride home because it was so late. Then we got up early to return to the office and didn't go home until late again, but we were able to teach a lesson to an awesome family we're working with and it was cool to get right in the groove where we left off 6 months ago (we were companions in Itaquá, in case you forgot)

I'm addicted to cuscuz nordestino (its like a corn flour that you cook with steam in a special pot then can eat with egg or meat or other things... google it) and eat it like every single day. It's super cheap, and super good.

I also tried cake made with ginger, pimenta (spicy pepper) and strawberries. I don't know how one makes such a cake, but it was good. Interesting, but suprisingly tasty.

We got to work and are already settling in for an awesome transfer. There are many wonderful people we're teaching and that are really progressing, so I feel super motivated to make this transfer one of the best of my mission! Things aren't always perfect, but that's impossible. We just have to make the best of whatever God gives us.

I love you all!

Elder Merrill

We were helping some Sisters with their bags during the transfer, and the wheels to all of their suitcases broke... at the same time... so on to the back it went (I'm on the right) Also, this random nice guy (center) helped us. T'was an adventure.

Thanks for the goodies Mike and Kristi!

Christmas planejamento [planner] that Juliana (a recent returned missionary in our ward) made for this transfer for me haha

Week of the death

Dear fam,

Well, I'm currently companionless. I got up at 5:45 to go with Elder Millaqueo to the airport, put him on the plane, and came back. So sad. He was kinda depressed the whole week since it was his last, but the mission just can't last forever... it's gotta end sometime. He was the first missionary I killed (missionary jargon that means being the last companion). But I know who my next companion will be.... Elder Vasconcelos. De novo! If you don't remember, we were companions one transfer from April to the end of May in Jardim Odete, and we'll be together for just 6 weeks since he dies (finishes his mission) at the end of this transfer. Which also means I'll probably stay for 2 more transfers here. I like this area, so I'm chill with that.

Being the last week, Elder Millaqueo had a Self-Reliance course one day and went to the temple another, so I got to spend a little bit of time with my dad on the mission, Elder Rodrigues! (His comp went home today too) It was fun to get together for a lil spurt.

We did a division in Vila Lavínia with the Zone Leaders there. I spent the day with Elder Patson, who was my first District Leader when I was in Cohab, and it was cool to relive some great memories. I still feel like he's my District Leader, I learned a ton from him in that one day we spent together. He's awesome.

Starting with the first Sunday of this month, we started singing Christmas hymns in sacrament meeting, it made me so happy.

Also last sunday I played the piano, gave a talk, gave the Gospel Principles lesson (which we've been giving for about 9 weeks now, the teacher was released.... our preparation is stellar, we get to the class, open the manual to see what the lesson is, then just go hahaha. This last week was about the Gathering of Israel, which was a little harder to do on the fly, but we managed:)

I'm tired, I'm happy, and I'm excited for this next transfer. Should be awesome.

Love you all!

Elder Merrill

Distrito Elite!

Sunrise in Mogi das Cruzes

Pop Rocks with papai! (Elder Rodrigues)

Pizza Hut to say goodbye to Elder Millaqueo with Kelly, Juliana, and Marquinhos... mmmmmmm so good

​Tchau Elder Millaqueo! I love this lil bud.

Tacos, Testemunhos, and Tranquilidade

Querida família-

Today our p-day was awesome. It was Elder Millaqueo´s last (next Monday he goes home), so we had to make it count. There was no meeting this morning, so we were able to deep clean the house. Then we went to a shopping (mall) and ate TACO BELL. Yup. 1 year and four months, on the other side of the world it's still the same. I know some of y'all are Taco Bell haters, but you can't deny the coolness of eating at one of the first Taco Bell establishments in the country of Brazil... not to mention my supreme deprivement of any mexican food (even americanized mexican). Anyways, as we were finishing up, I saw across the food court what appeared to be another mexican food establishment. Naturally I had to buy a taco from it. It reminded of Café Rio, suuuuuper good. Oh guacamole and pico de gallo how I'd missed you. Afterwards we took a stroll through the big and super nice mall... it was mainly just stuff for rich people, so we didn't even think about buying anything except for a R$269 (like $84) tie... lol psych. We left and went to Brás to buy R$11 (less than $3,50) ties hahaha 

Our area is still going pretty well, but we have cut a few people from our teaching group and are trying to find new people. Lots of street contacting, but that's the missionary life. Oh yeah, and even though Cleide isn't a member, she talked with the Relief Society presidency to give us lunch Saturday! So. Cool.

It was leadership councill week, so the usual correria that comes with it. We gave a training on how to help people make and keep commitments better because people can only show fruits of repentance as they do those simple things like reading, praying, and changing their lives to live the commandments. It went well, I thought. Sister Silcox gave a cool training on having the faith to find people prepared to receive the gospel and how that needs to affect our planning. Elder Millaqueo bore his testimony since it was his last council, it was so sad... I love the lil' guy. I've learned a ton from him. He is such an example of humility and pure desire to help others, two things I really need to work on. How great it is we have companions that always show us our weak points and how we can always be better.

Açaí rocks

Açaí selfies rock

Kitties rock

..until the member family puts 6 kittens on your back and they all dig in their claws

We knocked the door of a lady and started teaching the Restoration, and when we pulled out the Book of Mormon her eyes lit up and showed us this copy she got 20 years ago from some Sister missionaries... cool.

Elder Webster after a long hard day on tour....

"Yo quiero Taco Bell!" ....check.

...and then appeared another taco establishment, so naturally I went, purchased, and of it also partook.

A vida

Happy Halloween! This year, I decided to be a missionary again... it's pretty scary for some people apparently..... maybe more people should try it.

We did three divisions this week, which took the wind out of me a lil bit. On Tuesday and then on Wednesday, we divided with 2 sets of zone leaders. Divisions are good because you get to learn from other missionaries and can do twice the work in your own area, but it is tiring because you have to plan two days at the same time and then figure out how to work in the appointments both duplas scheduled and share the important information about what you've gathered working with the missionary, then plan how you're gonna help them in the future... Then do it all over again with another set of missionaries. On Friday we went to Bela Vista to do a division, which was Elder Millaqueo's first area. It was cool to work in another area (get back to the favela, since Mooca doesn't have favela.... I miss it) and be able to do a division that we didn't have to plan everything haha

Last night we had a good meeting with the stake president, President Silcox, all the missionaries, and all the ward missionaries in the stake, and we set goals for 2017... We felt inspired to better certain specific things here in Mooca, so we'll see if things improve in the future... t'was good.

Our area is going great, life is going great.... I'm happy!

Love you!

Elder Merrill

I made snickerdoodles! They were soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!

How many missionaries does it take to screw in a lightbulb...?

Only two!

We tried taking a picture in the super hard rain because we were soaking wet, but the rain didn't want Elder Millaqueo to appear.... so we ended up with this.....

I put up my hammock in our house and it is wonderful....

The couple from the picture in the Chastity pamplet (in portuguese at least) is in our ward! 

Temple and travels

Fam-

Every week is a good week. But this one was extra because we got to go to the temple on Tuesday! What a wonderful start. I love the temple, and I learned a lot about some things I've been pondering recently. There's such a peace that you feel even just in the garden and on the grounds. If you need peace in your life, go to the temple. 100% works.

After the temple we traveled to São José dos Campos, which to make a long story short took FOREVER. We left our area at 5pm and got to the house of the Zone Leaders 10pm. Oh, São Paulo traffic. Good thing I passed out on the bus, because I was needing some sleep. When we got there, they bought unusually large pizzas that I regret not taking a picture of (because division tradition mandates pizza as part of the ritual). The next day we participated in their zone training meeting and got to do all the role-plays we made the Zone Leaders do on the previous Friday... I guess it's only fair haha. After the meeting and after lunch, we were only able to spend 3 hours working with Elder David and Elder Mount before coming on a return trip that also took 5 stinking hours to get home, but it was good. I went with Elder Mount and it was funny to see all the stares of that a tall american (me) and a HUGELY TALL american (Elder Mount) drew. Everyone asked us if we were brothers.

Once again, we found ourselves with only 3 days to work in our own area, but we were able to see some miracles and worked hard to keep up with everything. Our teaching group just keeps getting bigger and better with awesome people, I'm excited to see what the future holds.

I love you all!

Elder Merrill 

<cliché missionary temple pic>

Temple trips aren't really temple trips if you don't buy american pop 

On the bus in São José dos Campos

Cleide (an investigator) gave Elder Millaqueo and me hammocks! This is me trying out Elder Millaqueo's