Dear Everyone
   The computer wasn´t working so i dont have alot of time but first thing Welcome Home Paige!   Second for Christmas i was thinking that you should ask all the returned missionaires from our family to send me a letter for Christmas with advice.
   Third i sent you some letters to give out  will you write down for me all who i sent them too and write asking people to pray for me on them as well.
    I fasted yeasterday and its amazing to feel the love of the Savior and how he cares about me.  I received direct answers to my prayers through old general conference talks we had in the house.
   I love you and sorry i didn´t have more time to write.  Tell people i miss them and to write me.
        Love
              Elder Searle M.  Vincent

Dec.7,2009

Hi, 

  So i have a ton to to tell you b.c so much happened this week but only have 10 mins to write.
     First off i fasted that a girl i want to baptize would come to church and she did.  She turns 9 this month and wants her dad to baptize her but he´'s not ready so im not sure what will happend.  Im just glad she could come.  
    Also we had 34 in church which is absolutely incredible b.c this year they,ve had times with only 4 people.
    Also we had zone conference this week.  I love Pres. Alvarado.  He's awesome.  We focused on chapter four of preach my gospel.  Im really trying to learn how to be more in tune with the spirit.
    Friday we took the youth on an activity to see a waterfall and this one is even better.  I will send the pictures next week.  It was absolutely amazing.  I wanted to swim so bad but didn´t haha.  I would love to baptize in it one day though.
    I hope you watched the Christmas Devotional last night.  I did and it was amazing.  I loved the quote ¨Christmas is the time for forgiving and being forgivin. ¨  Im praying to be forgivin of my past.  Thats what i want for christmas.  Im sorry and hope youll will forgive me of my faults of the past.  I hope others will as well.
   I hope all is going well back at home.  There are so many people there that i love and care about so much.  Please be my hands to help the people there as i am the lords to help his children here.  There really is not enough time to do all the work i need to but will always give my all.  Please tell people i love them and am thinking about them.  Im trying to write letters but its hard to have time.
   I love you all and send pics of family friends and home  (park city)
     Love,
            Elder Searle M Vincent

November 30,2009

Dear Family,
    First off GO BYU!! haha sorry its just the way i am.  Im so glad they won.  Sure it means i probably wont recieve many letters for a while b.c everyone is alot quiter when byu wins. 
    Things are good here.  This morning we went to this amazing waterfall for the begining of pday.  It was so sweet.  I wish you all could have seen it, but i´ll send you pictures so you can. It was a bout 60 feet high.  I have pictures from the top and the bottom.
     Also yeah i did feel the earthquake.  It wasn´t too bad where i was but shook things up a little bit.  I was reading Jesus the Christ when it happend.  Good book by the way.
     So saturday we had a youth activity we set up b.c we are pretty much in charge of everything here.  We were going to watch the testaments but no one showed up for over an hours.  I decided to pray not just b.c of that but b.c i had been having a hard time.  I prayed for about a half an hour for comfort and strength to do the lords work.
     When i was done i went out into the chapel and Elder Martinez had started a shorter movie b.c one of the youth showed up.  It was about a girl giving a friend a book of mormon and him eventually reading it and he and his family getting baptized.  I really just want to make a difference in someones life.  Just helping one persone here would be enough for me.  It was just so powerful to me to remember little things can make a big difference. 
    The movie then went into Joseph Smith with Praise to the Man playing and then into the life of jesus.  I Was crying the whole time i was watching it b.c of the love and mercy i felt from the Savior.  I am so greatful for all He did for me and i just want to help others feel the same love i do.
    Im glad thanksgiving went well.  Thats always fun.  Ive only seen one real snake but it was dead and yeah its hard to like dogs once you´ve been here.   
     I love you all and please read scriptures and pray together.  That is the best way possible to stay strong.
          Love,
                 Elder Searle McDede Vincent

Dear Family,

    How´s are things going?  Things are good here.  I was sick but just for a little and am alot better now. And no i haven´t been sick my whole mission just twice.  This was my first time out of the usa being sick and on my mission i have still been more sick in the US then out of it.  I think i got sick probably from the extreme change in altitude and temperature so manytimes in one week but i really dont know.

    My new companions name is Elder Martinez.  He"s from El Salvador really close to the boarder here in Guatemala, so not to far from here.  He´s 25 and has two younger twin brothers who already served missions and his dad served in the north part of Guatemala.  

   We are still in Taxisco and are just trying to get the people to have the desire to have better lives.  We´ve just been giving service as much as we can  and setting up activities so that the people will trust us more.

   And yes mom i remember that you love me every day.  Remember i love you too.

  Thats awesome you get to go to the Jazz bulls game on thanksgiving. That should be pretty sweet. Maybe i'll be able to watch it! haha jk I can watch the bulls when i get back.  But that definately should be alot of fun.

  Im glad BYU did well and im even more happy Jared did well.  One of the hardest things about being away is im going to miss Jareds last two years and i want to watch him so bad.  He's like a brother to me.  I love him and am so glad he's doing well.

  How´s Vandy been doing?  I have a letter for Colt but just need to send it.

  So this week we went to give service, chop and carry firewood, and it was in one of the most beautiful places i have ever been in my life.   It was by a river that was pretty much roofed with tree cover.  There were little drop offs into pools of water i didn´t swim haha.  But i'll try to send you pictures so that you can see. My comp took them so there pretty good.  

  This week i also played with an iguanna or however you spell it so that was fun.

  I love you all and please let me know if i can do anything for you.  Have the best thanksgiving ever and save me the leftovers haha.  But have fun and share the gospel.

      Love,

             Elder Searle McDede Vincent

Hello Mother and All,
   How are you doing! Wow your almost really old.  Im sorry to hear about the rough week.  I had one too but nothing really phases me anymore like it use to b.c. i trust in God so much and that every trial helps me grow and is only to give me expirence and make me better.
   We had a fat rat in our apartment yesterday.  It wasn´t a little vole like back home this was a footlong rat just climbing on our door frame.  It was a sweet expeirence and when we were trying to get the rat out of our apartment im pretty sure it smiled at me haha.  I thought that might make you feel a little better about being where you are :)
    Yesterday we had changes.  My new compainon is from El Salvador only about an hour and a half from here.  He speaks really quite good english. He's been out 11 months and this is only his third area.  He seems like a good guy.  We just have to do everything we can for this area.
   I got my package from the Franz' and also you letter.  The article on Jared was awesome.  I love him.  He's such an awesome friend and im so glad hé's doing so well.  I just wish i didn´t have to miss him play.
   We had a special conference for  Guatemala and belice via satelite this sunday and it was really good.  It focused on the family.  One talk was the four pillars of a strong family. 
THEY ARE:
1. Family prayer (together morning and night)
2. Family Scriture study every day
3. Family NIght Every week
4. Paying Tithing
    I really have a testimony that these things make a difference more then almost anything else. Please try to do these things.
    So i also realized that as of now eric has particìpated in the baptisms of more people during my mission then me.  I wanted to challange you to have more as a family (in the ward, friends, byu) then me on my mission.  It may not seem possible but elder hall my district leader from portand says his ward has baptized almost every week since he left a year ago and i would love to see the work progress at home like that.  There really is so much our family and ward can do youll just need to take the steps and make it a focus.
  
    Love,
           Elder Searle Vincent
Ps i think im getting taller haha

Dear Family,

    So I saw that there is a Michael Jackson movie out now.  Thats pretty sweet.  I bet everyone was dressed up like him for Halloween! haha

    So for Christmas you could send me some colored gel pens so i have more colors to mark my scriptures with and my smaller transformers shirt.

    Also you should talk to Sine to see if he has any pictures of me from football we dont have and you should also send me pictures from this years team.

    Im going to make this a short version b.c i dont have much more time but i wanted to share an experience from this week.  As you know i prayed new people would come to church this week and to have a baptism this month in every prayer and taught the primary to do the same.  

     When we were at church there was a mentally hadicapped guy that came that we always invite to church and as i was sitting on the stand  i was thinking what a cool answer to my prayer.  He truely was a new person attending church this week and i was all smiles.  Then about half way through sacrament a family of 9 walked in who i think just moved into our branch and i was like wow that was unexpected i thought i already got an answer.  Then with 5 minutes left in sacrament a family of 5, the family with the coconuts walked in and i couldnt´help but tear up with the love i felt from the Lord and the power of prayers patience and looking for the good in everything.

     Long story short that family is inactive but has an 8 year old and i talked to her when i was teaching primary and she said she really wants to get baptized.  It wont count for a mission number but i really believe it to be an answer to my pray.  The Lord is so merciful and loving.

     I love you all!!

         Love,

               Elder searle vincent

Dear Family,
     Yeah im great  I just sent a huge email but i didn´t work.  Im sorry.  I will write you again more next week.
I wish you could have gotten it but all is well.
   Im working really hard but people dont really want to listen.  In my four weeks we still haven´t gotten an investigator to come to church except the one who already had the baptism date but i will keep working hard no matter how difficult things are.   I cant take the peoples agency but they cant stop me from trying as hard as i can either.
    I love you all.  Let me know how life things are.   Also if there is any big news in the world i need to hear.

Love Elder Searle Vincent

October 26, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

    How's life in pc? i bet really busy.  Its busy here too.  Im back in taxisco now working again so its back to sweating alot.   The fruit it was conconuts haha.

   I had my first baptism this week.  Elder Ruiz baptized him and i confirmed him in sacrement meeting which was a little intimidating to do in spanish.  We also had our new decon pass the sacrament and a less active member bless so that was all done by the ward which was awesome.

   The baptism was really sweet it was a 14 year old kid whos aunt is the relief society president.  It was absolutey pouring during the baptism like rivers of water.  But i cant really explain the feeling from the baptism and confirmation all i can say is i was happy and couldnt stop smiling.   It was awesome.

  Im glad football is going well.  I really wish i could watch all them play and i really wish i could get to see jared play but its all good.  

   I dont have much time to write this week but let me know whats going on with you all and the world.

   For the package you could maybe send me refills for my marking pencil.  Just one of each color or something.

    I loved the pictures but you should send me ones of my friend and family and football.The one of my face blown up was funny haha!!!!

 I love you all so much and miss you a ton but not too much

      Love,

             Elder Searle McDede Vincent

Dear Family,
     Sorry I didn´t write monday.  Weve been in quilapa and Nuevo Santa Rosa this week translating for doctors of a catholic mission.  They're all really nice and this cause is really cool.  They come every 6 months and its free service for people who really wouldn't get any medical care otherwise.  Alot of the stories of people down here are unbelivable.  Ive learned alot of medical vocabulary which is really nice and my spanish has gotten alot better this week to.  Ive been helping out this one doctor alot and have been feeling a lot like a nurse haha they could use grandma.  Ive learned alot about medicine this week too.
    Last week we didn´t have our baptism because the dad wouldn´t give him permision but he now has so it will be this saturday. Which will be really cool.  Were in what is suppose to be one of the toughest areas in our mission but things are what we make them and i know i can change it here bc the people are so good they just need to go to church.
   Im going to write more in a second but send this one first.

      Love Elder Vincent

Oh by the way its really humid in my area and i  sweat all day but am getting a little used to it.  Its really hot to but not killer and i use my sunsreen.  Im in alot better shapethen when i left i've been working out hard.  Im really tired at night so i dont have trouble sleeping and our fan works really well so i dont sweat too much at night and i sleep on a matress.  Oh and the sink in our apartment broke so we were a little flooded when we woke up one morning but we plugged it with a stick.
   Hope to send pics for everyone next week!
   Love Elder McDede :) 

Oh and taxisco reminds me of a mix of fort benton and pirates of the carribean and im not just saying that to make you happy.

Dear Family,

     Things are great in guatemala.  Im in a small town called taxisco.  But our area is really big.  Like hour bus rides big but we mostly teach closer to taxisco b.c its closer for the people there to get to church but we still go out to teach some.   Ive taught in the jungle and the streets and in huts made of straw its pretty sweet.  Weve found some pretty sweet families to teach its just hard to get people to come to church.

    Oh before i forget im about 2.5 to 3 hours away from the city so i probably wont get mail for a while but tell people to keep sending it so i can write them whe i get it.

   The areas pretty sweet my favorite thing by far is the kids though.  Our church is about the same as the relief society room at the stake center except the baptisml font is in the basement.  Its just one big room seperated by 3 dividers and two small rooms for primary and the office and the bathrooms are on the outside of the building.

   The president doesnt live in our area and we are his councilers and the president wasn´t here this week so we were the only ones at church with the priesthood so elder ruiz blessed it and i passed.  We had 19 including us at church this week.  We have one baptism lined up for this week.

   After sacrement we are the teachers too so for the first hour i got to teach primary which was probably the best thing ever i taught them about prophets and temples for about 40 mins and then taught them english and i dont know if ive ever seen kids so excited it was awesome.  I taught them to say book of mormon and love and other stuff it was really fun.  Then 2nd hour i taught the young men and women and that went well too.  After church my companion is the seceratary so we had to do money stuff. I was bored so i tried to clean up the building.  But really the kids here are so awesome.  ESpecially the little girls.  I think some like me a little to much though.  We were teaching this 10 year old girl yesterday who asked if i was married haha.  and its just funny being here white and blue eyed haha

      To answer moms questions i have running water but only during the day.  I dont think i got the stuff from the mission home just letters from ryan alexa and erics folder. We walk to almost all our apointment even ones that are a couple of miles away up hill.  I sweat ridiculously that day bc it is so hot and humid here.   We have a comedor which is a food provider that we go to for lunch and dinner thats really good.  There are a bunch of people living in her house and i got it out of her on saturday that she was a member before so i decided im going to baptize her family b.c there awesome!  The food is really good too she does a good job.  I sleep on a regular bed with the sheets you sent me.  I was sick almost the whole time in was in the mtc but am fine now (ive been taking my vitamins)  I remember you love me yes.  We teach alot of lessons.  We dont do a ton of contacting because were always teaching lessons.  MY stuff is pretty good.  The nike socks were the best advice i got before my mission so thanks spencer!  Do you remember i love you?

    You should proably send me a bunch of stickers to give to little kids and some candy or what not for christmas stuff that will last in the mail a couple of weeks.

    I like my companion he's pretty cool ive been working a little with him on his english.

    I think ive lost close to 30 pounds now so hopefully i stop losing weight for a little.

    Its really green here:  Alot of dogs in the streets and chickens the people are really friendly though

    Tell the team congrats and to keep working hard and that you can always keep getting better.  Tell people i say hi and that i will try to write as soon as possible.

    I love you all and am always praying for you.

                LOVE,

                        Elder Searle McDede Vincent

October 7, 2009

Dear Family,

     Im adding this after i started for mom.  If you listend to President monsons last address he said that he invoked a blessing upon all those watching that they would arrive home in safety.  I am taking that upon myself so mom you have nothing to worry about! :)

      So have you been getting my letters to each of you? you really haven't said much about them so i just thought i'd ask.  Oh also you should send me some pictures sometime.

   Ok just had to get that stuff out of the way before i forgot.   This weeks been awesome.   Conference was great.  I especially like president uchtdorf's talk on love.  Also elder ballards ( i think i dont have my notes with me) on father son relationships. I need to save that one to refer to my whole life so you can print it out for me if you want and put it by my bed or some thing ;)

   I wish i could spend my whole time talking about all the stuff i learned from conference but maybe next week when i have more time.

   I met president alverado yesterday and he seems awesome.  I am so glad that he is my president.  We did an orientation for most of the day and then later i met my new companion.  His name is Elder Ruiz from EL Salvador.  He seems pretty sweet.   Hes been out just over a year.

   Our area is called Taxisco.  Its on the pacific coast and its really hot and humid.  It took us about 3 hours to get here from the city. but i could bearly see the ocean when i was on the bus today which was pretty sweet.  Im going to melt even faster which i dont know how thats possilbe seeing as im under 200 pounds now.

   My apartment is a missionary apartment but i like it alot.  Its right next to the church b.c we have the keys.  We just have a very small branch in my area but my compainion has been doing work so its been growing.   I know that we will do awesome things in this area if we trust the lord and work as hard as possible.

    Its really green as you would expect here and ive seen a couple of valcanoes and some huge parrots and stuff. Oh and a guy yesterday asked if i liked to eat turtle. I thought that was funny.

   Well i hope all is well.  I should be  able to send you some pictures next week :)

   I love you all and you should let me know heaths teams schedual and tell some people to write me if theyd like.

     I love you all.

      Love Elder Searle McDede Vincent

From: "Searle Vincent"

Date: September 29, 2009 11:11:30 AM MDT

To: mcdede@comcast.net

Subject: Re: Sept. 28,2009

Dear family,

    SO i am doing great today.  I am melting though.  They fixed our scale yesterday and ive lost a little over 20 pounds in 8 weeks kinda nuts. Im right about 200.  I fell in really good shape though b.c ive been working out alot and started doing my pushups and situps everyday which is good.

    I may not be able to email you next week but hopefully my mission president will. Y ou,ll need to send some pictures and not ones of me. I know what i look like! :) haha

    They work is really good.  i work so hard my only  concern is if my body can last two years working this hard and harder but i know when its in the work of the LOrd i have nothing to worry about.  I will be just fine.   But i promise i will have nothing left when i get back so be prepared :)   

    We go out on divisions tomorrow so that will be cool to get out of the building for a lil bit.   Im sorry about the snow.  Its colder here too.  By about to degrees though.

    I found something cool about out a while back and i decided i should write you about it today.  In the scricptures it uses the word to cry unto the lord in place of prayer often times.  In spanish the word to pray in orar and the word to weep or cry is llorar.  To cry in pray.  I usually draw a picture but cant so visuallies a sad face with the ll as tears before orar.  In the scriptures it says to become as little children and little children comunicate through crying and other emotions.  I realized our prayers should not be words at all but an expression of our real emotions unto the lord as a child comunicates its desires and needs to its parents.  We as humans often try to hide our emotions but we should never hide them from the lord we must express them to the lord as a child does.  I parent does not let the child just cry and do nothing and neither will the lord if we cry unto him.

    Its crazy im out in the real world next week but i know the lord will be with me every step.

    I am doing really well.   Just trying to be the best i can be and serve the lord.

    Please let me know if there is anyone i need to write to or that could use any help.

     I love you all so very much.  You are my strength.

     Love,

            Elder Searle Vincent

Date: September 22, 2009 3:06:16 PM MDT

Dear family,

    This week was pretty sweet.  First off just a second ago i was out on the basketball court and dunked for the first time in almost a year.  It was with a soccer ball but i got it really clean.  I was pretty stoked about that.  

     Also we watched a movie about joseph the son of isreal.  I came to realize how special the name Joseph is to me.  My Grandfather and great grandfather Joseph Smith and Joseph of egypt.  Some of the greatest examples in my life to me.  I cant even comprehend the trials that Joseph Smith and Joseph of Egypt went through.  Joseph of egypt was disowned and beaten and sold by his brothers for just living the comandments.  He was imprisioned and lived an icredibly unfair life but he was blessed immesureably for his obdeince and diligence.  At the end of the movie when he told i was really touched when he told his brothers who he was.  They were all crying about how sorry they were and he said that he for gave his brothers and that through his suffering as one man he was able to save thousands and a nation.  He blessed them for what they had done and welcomed them with open arms.  It amazed me and thats not even close to what the savior dealt with.  I have really been trying to focus on finding the good in everything b.c i truely believe we can find good in everything and become stronger from everything.  Also see the lords mercy in all things.

    One example is i lost my journal ( i ordered a new cool one though so dont worry)  on the bus last monday and was kind of distruaght about it but then i remembered look for the good and the hand of the lord.  I then remembered that most of what i had written was on the talks i had heard and that i had taken notes in another notebook so i really didn{t end up loosing much.  Would i rather still have my journal of coarse but lifes to hard as is to get down and frustrated about stuff.  I kind of felt like nephi having writtend his book b.c joseph smith lost the 119 pages.

     So who did heath play this week and what was the score of the BYU game.  i cant believe they lost at home.

      My companion is Elder Udall from Eger arizona.   Is sounds similar geographics to Park city kind of.  He's really nice and a good compainion.   I cant really find much wrong with him which is probably b.c im only looking for the good in things.

      Mom im sorry about the mouse iknow thats not what you want to see.  I'll pray for you :)

     In the scriptures it says many times i will consecrate your aflictions for for your gains and show you mercy.  I really like Jacob 3:1 and second nephi 2.2.

     im about out of time so i will just end by saying i love you all so much and your love and prayers are a great strength to me.

LOve,  Elder searle vincent