Monday, February 27, 2012

transfers


oi!
 
How's the family and friends this week?!? Good? Good :) haha. So this week was very interesting! But I definitely learned a lot about miracles this week!! We had a lot of trouble finding our investigators this week. This week was carnival week so it made for a very interesting week of work. But it was still good. This week Juliana and Mylena were baptized! I'm so grateful for that really! Juliana is pregnant, so it was very interesting to baptize her. She's 8 months pregnant and really pregnant haha. Mylena was the miracle this week. We tried baptizing her a few weeks ago but she wanted nothing of it. So we tried and tired again but she just didn't want it. So we let it go. Until friday we simpley asked her again almost joking around with her and she said yes! It was amazing but i baptized her as well. I'm well aware if we have faith and show our faith through our actions the Lord will help us out!
 
This week is transfers week! I'm pretty darn sure that I will leave! But I don´t know until tonight! Man, I have mixed feelings about this... I love this area and I don't want to leave...but also, I need a change I think. haha.
 
It's crazy that february is ending now and that is time for march! Time is going by super crazy and I'm feeling old already on the mission! hahaha. It's funny. But anyways, me and my companion were talking about some things we miss. I miss a carpet hahaha.:P I want a carpet! haha.
 
I'll be sending you guys a letter soon!!! Sorry for the excitement haha. I haven't had a whole lot of time this past little while to send letters, but I will! :) So louie will be going soon? That's right!! haha. Craziness! Btw, where is Jonathan going again? Because I have been using my raincoat recently! That's because here, it rains all the time here!! It's hot as heck but rains and has the craziest thunderstorms! The thunderstorms here are so crazy. Gives one second and you hear the sound, so close! :D I love it!
 
So my jeans are the tight ones. That's the problem. Probably the same size would work, but just not skinny or tight. The jeans are tight everywhere hahaha. I haven't received the package yet!
 
I was thinking about something the other day. Now I'm trying to remember but it was something that happened in our family and was really funny. But I can't remember. but I was thinking about it and I started to crack up and my companion had no idea why but it was funny haha. Anyways, I have to go now! we got to get some stuff done today! But I love you guys!!
 
Com Amor,
Élder Grant Shaw Merrill!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Happy Birthday Mom!


Oi!
 
This transfer has passed by soooooooo quickly. It has amazed me. But I have learned so much too. My companion has really helped with a bunch of things. It's awesome. He´s cool haha. So this week was pretty difficult. Heavenly Father certainly knows how to humble you haha. We had one baptism this week and all the others that we had fell through. Also one confirmation. I'm worried about Damiana. She was confirmed sunday but baptized a couple of weeks ago. But it took a while to have her confirmed because every time we went to her house to bring her to church she slept somewhere else. Which is really weird because she´s a mom of 4 and they just stay there at home. But this is kind of normal here. The thing I learned is that no one sleeps here. And also this week is carnival, so people really don't sleep now. haha. but she was finally confirmed. But Mônica and Gabriela were not confirmed this week because they didn't answer the door also. They need to be confirmed!
 
But anyways this week was long and very short. I'm feeling a little bit under the weather. Oh also I'm going to be making strogonof today. (how do you spell it?) But here it is sooo much better than it is in the usa. Want to know something funny? People here always say hey german! Speak English! Anyways, I thought it was funny hahaha. How's the Collins? Are they doing good? I miss them!
 
Oh hey! I would love glasses wipes! :) Just saying! Recently there has been tons of thunderstorms. They are sooo awesome! AHHH I love thunderstorms so much! Especially when there is no time in between the sound and lightening! I love thunderstorms like that :] But man, it's pretty humid here! You should feel lucky :P haha.
 
So, I've been noticing that I'm thinking and dreaming in portuguese too. I didn't really notice it until recently, because I was listening to my companion talk and I thought to myself, why is he speaking in english? That's when I noticed he wasn't speaking in english but in portuguese whoa weird hahah.
 
Thanks for the receipe I will make it soon! If they have something like cream of mushroom soup... hahah. The charges are from me... sorry! hahah. And I haven't gotten the  package yet! Maybe I have but we haven't gone to the office yet! So I don't know! haha. My next transfer is in a week! This is my last week here! or who knows hahaha! So I say Oi to all of them too! :) and o que vocês vão fazer para verão? Vocês vão para um lugar como hawaii denovo?! haha. That was for the collins :P haha.
 
Well sounds like dad's still running away and this time with uncle chip haha. :P I miss you guys and ready to work this next week! Tchau! and good luck with the baby to be phil! I'll be thinking about you corinne while baptizing this next week, because we will baptize a pregnant lady! (I hope!) haha. Anywyas tchau!
 
Com amor,
Élder Grant Shaw Merrill!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Tired...Tired


oi!
This week, like the last, was crazy! Man the time went by super quick! I remember it being the other p day. Man, this week was super...fast...lots of stuff to do. I don´t know how to say it. Anyways, Saturday came and I looked at my planner and I already had every spot filled in. Meaning: We had to only do planning for alternative stuff and not regular because everything was already filled in! This being said. Saturday I was super tired.. But it was really good because we taught a lot, marked baptisms, and had a lot of people saying that they would go to church! sunday came along and we did splits with some members in the ward to get everyone to church. I went to "my area" and I had minimal success. Everyone there, even members, were at a party until 3-6 am in the morning. This is something you learn fast, brasilians don´t sleep hahaha. But anyways, so I only got 2 people to go to church from my part. My companion had it easy hahaha. He went to his part and there are a bunch of apartment buildings where we were calling people. He said that it was very simple. He just called out each name and they said they were descending already. We ended up having 16 people at church yesterday!! It was a miracle. 16 people at church visiting and 2 baptisms. Next week, we are going to have at least 3 more baptisms. This area is really coming alive now :) hahah.
This week we didn´t have any lunches at a members house, so I have really been learning how to cook. Through trial and error. I know how to make rice now! like without the machine, because here no one uses that machine, they acctually cook it. So when I say I know how to make rice now, I mean without that machine and it tastes so much better! Also, I´m getting good at cooking meat and other stuff, frying stuff, and yeah. hahah. BUT! Can you send me the recipe of hamburger stuff over rice? Thanks!
So this week, I gave a blessing for someone, and wow! I´ve never had someone start crying while giving a blessing.. haha. It was an amazing experience.
Sending pictures isn´t working huh? I don´t know why, it´s kind of dumb. haha. but I´ll try :)
Oh! so craziness! we had interviews with the president this week. First off, always inspiring! Second, you can ask him any question you can, which means: Deep Doctrine time. He knows sooooooo much. But something interesting he said that every single thing in the temple you can find in the scriptures, you just have to pay attention. With that and some other stuff he told me that I learned, I have definitely changed the way I study for the better. I want to be able to find that sort of stuff on my own. But also, something else that I should note is that even he uses the manuals. Those are there to help us. But something else that he told me, that next transfer, I might open a new area that has no missionaries and a new ward. AHHH! hahah. That´s crazy, if it happens. But exciting!
So what happens if i use my debit card as a credit card? But thanks for the info! I´ll be waiting for the card :) I´m excited to get the package as well! I have to write so many letters still, it definitely gets piled up haha. Alma 5 is definitely one of my favorite chapters! He really burns the people and makes you think too. There is a verse in that chapter where alma asks the people if they were called to death in that moment, are they ready? This is something that we should always ask ourselves! Are we ready at any moment? My favorite part is definitely the end. With the invitation to be baptized! :) hahah. As a missionary those are your favorite scriptures hahaha.
Recife for Gentry! Man, yeah I always tell people that i have tons of friends in brasil or going to brasil and I never can keep track! So many people... IT`S AWESOME! I´m happy for Dallen that he went to brasil now! :) He´ll love it! Where is he going again? I forgot.
You know what I was thinking about the other day? When I get back, I will get back before july 4 or that day. What a way to start off my days after the mission :P hahahaha. I just thought it was funny.
Oh dad, I told my companion and some other missionaries how much you baptized and this is what they said: Your dad was GH!!! or... in other words, Your dad was Grande Homem (great man). Here it's like you... you did everything you could to help people get baptized. Because for england you baptized a lot!!!
What has Adam completed in his schooling? I don´t even know haha.Man, i realize that me responding to your guy´s stuff must look really weird to other people hahaha. But anyways, I am really excited to be here out on the mission! It's really a weird feeling. Today makes 7 months on the mission but it feels like i´ve been out here my whole life. It already feels like I don´t have any other life than this hahah. It really will be weird to return. For now, I´m really grateful to be out here now. I wouldn´t change it for anything. I´ve already been able to change lots of lives. It amazes me :) That being said,  I certainly do miss you guys and love you more than ever now :) But you are always in my prayers!
Com Amor,
Élder Grant Shaw Merrill!


P.S. Hey! I forgot, Phantom Menace star wars...3D!!! That´s coming out! What?! Awesome! How unfair too! I don´t know why, but the first movie in 3D i´ve been excited about. Maybe it´s also because I can´t watch it :P haha. Another thing....I´ll remember... oh! Jeans 30 - 32! Size! And they are slims. If that helps hahah.

Monday, February 6, 2012

No Title Today!


Oi!
 
Craziness!
 
This was a tiring week... whoa. haha. I don´t really know where to begin. But we were just running everyday and trying to find new people, contact everyone we are teaching and just running everywhere. Saturday was very very tiring. The temple was very good but we got back late and we had soooooooooo much work to do. It made things difficult! but! The temple was super good. It was actually probably my favorite session. I don´t know, it´s weird, it´s the same thing, but I learn so much everytime. I learned so much this time I don´t know where to put it all! haha. But it´s true :P There´s a lot to me that just makes so much more sense now.
 
Something that elder ballard told us i´ve been trying to be better with. He talked about how our recent converts are not finished when they become members, but that we need to help them after and forever for the rest of our lives. Because here in sao paulo east is one of the most baptizing missions in the world, but we still need to make sure they stay strong! Here, the standard is at least 2 baptisms every week, that is what is expected. But I think what is really important as well that we (as missionaries and members) should have they goal that those 2 people will go to church and stay strong every week!
 
oh funny story! So we are working with the sister of wallace. (a young man we baptized the other week) and she calls herself vitória! Anyways, she asked me my name, and the people don´t really understand my name so I told her: grant. But now she trys and calls me that but can´t pronounce it right and calls me wench. hahaha. It reminded me of David. :P anyways, my companion laughs everytime he hears it :P haha.
 
This week, we had some baptisms for this week, but they went traveling. I think the dad is fleeing from us actually. Also, the other, she wanted to know the church more. One of the hardest things is helping people understand that baptism is a commandment and that it is required of us now and not in a year or so. Baptism is the first step of our faith and in following christ. This is a truth that I've learned just from reading the scriptures. Funny huh? You actually learn when you read the scriptrues :P hahaha. But anyways, we had 2 baptisms this next week, and we will be working a lot with some other people to have some more. Something that you have to learn as a missionary that your central purpose is to baptize and help others through this way. Not only to teach. We have to have a purpose in our teachings. We have to invite the people to do something with what we are teaching. Baptism is one of those things and one of the most important as well!
 
Are the missionaries (sister missionaries now huh?) doing good in our ward? Who is in our ward now? I don´t even know! Has it changed a lot? I bet it´s sweeeeeeeet! hahah. So is louie getting all excited and ready? Who is all going or in brasil? I´m trying to remember... Me, David, Louie, Gentry, Johnathan, Jordan, Shelby, some other people.... who more.... I don´t remember exactly haha. Oh has Dallen gotten his visa?
 
Oh mom, with that knife and drug story, wanna know something funny? at our appointment, she wasn´t even there. She forgot :P hahah. So I usually just wear my basketball shorts, which by the way, already were...or...they are done? they are used? They are worn out? i don´t know haha. But, sometimes I do use jeans. Right now, not so much, because it´[s SUPER HOT! haha. I go take a shower dry, and sweat. I do nothing and sweat haha. It´s funny. but not really :P hahaha. The other day I took three showers it was so good :] and for the first time in my life, I love taking cold cold showers! hahaha. I´ll look at my jeans this week, i forgot to do that. But if I find some i´ll let you know. The problem is that I don´t know where they would sell jeans and I don´t have a whole lot of time to go hunting, but It is very possible for me to run across a store of jeans. or something like that :P
 
So, you will have to send pictures of the new carpet. What other changes will you guys do to the house? I want to see :P
 
Man dad! going to run another marathon?! Can´t wait to run one with ya :P haha. That is really good for england! :P I was going to make a goal that I have to beat ya :P but that´s a little unfair because I`m in brasil hahaha. Oh did you say hi to brother morgan for me? You should do that :P haha. I´m glad to hear that grandma is doing better now :) I hope that she keeps getting better!
 
Well, I´ll send some pictures and then I´ll be off! Love you all! :) Thanks for being awesome :) haha
 
de seu filho, irmão, ou amigo,
Élder Grant Shaw Merrill

Grant sent a quick post script:

Dad, forgot! I like the Grinch reference :P hehe.

For any of you Grinch fans, this was what Evan wrote that elicited that:

I also did my every 6 month garage cleaning and set up some tool organizers.  It looks a lot better and more organized, "And this time, I'll keep it clean!"