Things are going so well!! My goodness gracious! There have
definitely been hard parts, don't get me wrong but they are so very small and
insignificant compared to the bright light of the amazing and beautiful times! Pokie is where it's at!
Answers to questions/your email: I'm trying to be a little
more organized so I'm going to break things down a little! Everyone we teach is
our own age! They range from about 17-23! It's so crazy but so fun, amazing and
I learn so many things every day! My companion, Elder Vigil is from Kansas. He
is super into volleyball and wants to go into business and get his MBA. He
wants to be a CEO! We are living about a minute walk outside of our area,
AKA-outside of the apartment complexes that we go up and down all day ;). Also,
Elder Vigil has been out 14 months! He is so awesome! I learn so much from him every
day. He's also been super awesome with me learning Portuguese and willing to
help me out! We walk everywhere as well and when we do need rides to dinner
appointments we usually ask a member or go with other missionaries.
We work in
the PYSA 2nd stake III ward. It is so amazing! Basically we spend all the day
teaching less actives and non-members, all people our own age and come Sunday,
we go to the YSA 5th ward. It's is always so good! I've been so blessed with an
amazing ward, great people and an outstanding bishopric! Our Ward Mission
Leader, Reece is also so awesome! Also, the rain truly has been crazy!
This
past week, an Elder in our mission actually passed away from a car accident. We
are all praying from his family and that things will be ok for them. It's just
more fully built my testimony of the Plan of Salvation. :) I'm so happy that we
have it and that Elder Ward's family will be able to see him again. The plan is
true and we have it because God loves us so much. :) There is always a way back
to him. :)
I don't need any
sweaters just yet! Thank you though! When it's not raining it's actually quite
hot! Stake Conference sounds amazing and I'm glad it went so well! Also, my
prayers go out to President Perrins, he truly is a wonderful example and a
great man. Man oh man I miss choir! I just love Mr. Holloway and all the
amazing experiences I was able to have! Sigh..... I really hope Tanner is
having a wonderful time as well though!
I haven't had to eat anything too crazy either! Yesterday, I
had meatloaf with oatmeal and onions in it all cooked up in zucchini though!
Wow! That was an interesting experience! Also, I got to have dragon fruit.
Man... that stuff rocks.
Some awesome experiences for this week!: Alright, so this
past week I got to go on exchanges! It was absolutely amazing and truly a great
experience. My companion for the day had been out 6 months but had only been in
the area 6 days so they basically put two greenies together. Haha! But, we went
forth, planned and had high hopes for the day! Basically, the day was a
miracle. We had so many good experiences, got to schedule lots of appointments
with less actives and met a lot of wonderful people! It was so different from
being in the YSA ward too because we tracked up and down hills all day
basically! But, overall, it was wonderful and we managed to get 3 new
investigators, one of them we talked with for about 1 hr and 45 min about
everything from the Book of Mormon, Prophets and Apostles, Temples and even a
dash of Christopher Columbus in there! I learned so much and he said that he
will pray and read the Book Of Mormon! I'm so excited to see where that goes!
Also, that day was such a Testimony builder that the Lord truly does put people
in our paths for us to teach. We had just gotten done walking up a hill and said
hi to this guy in his car who was on his phone and then, as we kept walking, he
called out of us and we walked back to him. basically, he told us that he
needed to change. He had met with the missionaries before but when he moved to
Idaho he fell back into some bad stuff but he wanted to change SO BAD. So, we
got all his info, texted the Zone Leaders and hopefully, by now, they have
contacted the missionaries in his area and they have talked to him! This guy
was seriously so amazing and I love him!
Heavenly Father works wonders in the lives of all of us every
day. :) Overall though, this week has just been so amazing. We have had so many
good opportunities to teach people. We have had a bunch of new investigators as
well! I got to teach, for the first time, the Restoration to 2 non-members the
other day, one of whom had never really heard it. It was so amazing. So
spiritual and I hope and pray that they felt it and that they have read the
Book of Mormon and prayed and felt the joy that the Gospel can and does bring!
This church is so true! I know it! I know that Heavenly Father blesses his
children so abundantly. Missionary work is the Lord's work. Jesus Christ truly
is our Savior and as we consistently strive to keep His commandments, learn and
grow from our mistakes and read the scriptures and pray, miracles can and WILL
happen in our lives. I love you all so much! Go forth and do much good!
As a Missionary, I
love to leave invitations to people so here is one coming your way! ;) I invite
all , who want to grow closer to our Savior Jesus Christ, to try to pray for
the opportunity to serve someone every day. I know that when we are serving
others, we are serving God and happiness will come into our lives as we do
that. :) Again, I love you all! Have a fantastic week! :)
Elder Merkley
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